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INDIAN NAMES 375 



NKW^ = YORK, 



WITH A SKLECTION FKOM 



OTHER STATES, 



AND SOIVIE 



Onondaga Names of Plants, Etc., 



W. ]VI. BHATJCHAIVIF', S. T. ID., 
BALDWINSVILLK, N. Y. , ■ 



Fellcnv of the American Association for the Adrar.cevur.t of 
Science, etc. 



PRINTED BY H. C. BEAUCHAMP. '"A^fti,^ 

RECORDER OEKICE,/ V r>'"'->'?, <^ 

FAYETTEVILLE, N. Y. 



r APR 30 1894* 






/ 



7/7 



a 



COPYRIGHT. 1893, 

BY 

W. VI. BKAUCMAIVIF'. 



Indiafi Names in New York. 



THERE are more Indian names of places in use in New York 
than is commonly supposed, though many are of little im- 
portance, and some are much changed from their original sound. 
This causes a difficulty in obtaining their true meanings when 
once forgotten. They are referable to the two great Indian 
families, the Iroquois and Algonquin, the former mainly prevail- 
ing from Albany westward, and the latter being principally con- 
fined to the Hudson river valley and the shores of Lake Cham- 
plain, though some will be found along the St. Lawrence and 
the Susquehanna. Near the former river and in the Adiron- 
dacks, they are mostly of recent introduction through Algonquin 
hunters and guides. In a general way the latter class may be 
recognized by the use of w, A, p, and sometimes by terminations 
like ?V/', ing^ uck, an^ etc. Some names have been introduced, as 
Alabama, Osceola, Wyoming, and others, but these are few. 

On the uncertain and trivial character of many Indian names 
Mr. Golden made some good observations in his land re- 
port of 1732, saying, "There being no previous survey of the 
grants, their boundaries are generally expressed vvith much un- 
certainty, by the Indian names of brooks, rivulets, hills, ponds, 
falls of water, etc., which were and still are known to very few 
Christians ; and what adds to their uncertainty is that such 



INDIAN NAMES. 



<i 



names as are in these giants taken to be the proper name of a 
brook, hill, or a fall of water, etc., in the Indian language signi- 
fy only a large brook, or broad brook, or small brook, or high 
hills, or only a hill, or fall of water in general, so that the Indians 
show many such places by the same name. Brooks and rivers 
have different names with the Indians at different places, and often 
change their names, they taking the name often from the abode 
' of some Indian near the ;)lace where it is so called." 

This statement is fully confirmed by observation, nor is it 
strange in our own experience. Contrary also to a common 
opinion, the Indian had little poetic taste in giving names, and 
they might be descriptive, practical, or very odd, as suited him 
best. They often seem absurd, because we do not know how 
they first came into being. 

Mr. L. H. Morgan refers to a feature mentioned by Golden : 
'• The method of bestowing names was peculiar. It frequently 
happened that the same lake or river was recognized by them 
under several different names. 'J'his was eminently the case 
with the larger lakes. It was custoir.ary to give to them the 
name of some village or locality upon their borders. The Sen- 
eca word Te-car-ne-'.>di, means something more than 'lake.' It 
includes the idea of nearness, liteially, ' the lake at.' Hence, if 
a Seneca were asked the name of Lake Ontaiio, he would an- 
swer, Ne-ah-ga Tecar-ne-o-di, * the lake at Ne-ah-ga.' This 
was a Seneca village at the mouth of the Niagara river. If an 
Onondaga were asked the same question, he would prefix Swa- 
geh to the word lake, literally, ' the lake of Oswego.' The same 
multiplicity of names fiequentiy arohe in relation to the j rincipal 
rivers, where they pasted through the territories of more than 
one nation. It was not, however, the care with villages and other 
localities.'' 

In the Onondaga dialect I find the prefix commonly shortened 
into I'kah, equivalent to •• wheie," or "the jjlace at which."" 



^99 



^? 



preface: 



THE FAVORABLE RECEPTION of Cusick's History of 
the Six Nations, with its accompanying notes, has led to the 
preparation of this volume on New York Indian local names. 
Nearly thirteen hundred of these are mcluded, with the addition 
of about two hundred and sixty general names. To these has 
been added an interesting collection of Onondaga names in 
natural history, obtained on the Onondaga reservation in New 
York. Full notes on the antiquities of New York, with thous- 
ands of drawings of sites and relics, are in hand for a future vol- 
ume of this series on the New York Iroquois, as well as a care- 
fully prepared history, the result of many years' work. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Indian Names in New York - - - - - i 

General Observations, - . _ _ _ i 

Counties ----_._. 5 

Supposed Iroquois Towns - - . . _ 02 

Additional New York Names - - - _ _ g^ 

General Indian Names ----.. 04 

Onondaga Names of Plants, Quadrupeds, Birds and 

Reptiles - - - . _ , _ , . 

3 

Addenda - - - - _ . _ _ -72? 
Index ----.-._. ,25 



INDIAN NAMES. 3 

The Mohawks ami OneicUis use the hciuid L. and as tliey were 
most in contact with the whites their orthography has been 
largely followed in common use. Mr. Morgan says, " It has 
been customary to exclude the liquid R iVom the Iroquois alpha- 
bet, .is not common to the several dialects, but this is clearly 
erroneous. Although it is principally found in the Mohawk, Sen- 
eca, and Cayuga, it is yet occasionally discovered in each of the 
others." I am glad to fortif^^ my published views on this point 
with the words of so high an authority. Several eminent writers 
have said that this letter has altogether disappeared from the On- 
ondaga tongue, yet I have sometimes found it there in words 
carefully pronounced for me, and the Onondagas agree in teUing 
me that it is occasionally used by them. 

In the " League of the Iroquois," Mr. L. H. Morgan has 
given the best general hst of Iroquois local names extant, care- 
fully taken dov>-i from native sources, and generally with the 
meaning added. As the Iroquois themselves, do not always pro- 
nounce or define these alike, his list will not always agree with 
others, but it will generally be found reliable, though he has a 
preference for .the Seneca sounds. Mr. O. H. Marshall, of Buf- 
falo, published a good list of those along the Niagara frontier, 
and others are found scattered through many volumes, or maybe 
obtained from the Indians themselves. 

In compiling my own list from many sources, most of them 
were placed in a body under the names of their authors, but this 
could not wc. .)e done in aianging them by counties, nor was it 
convenient (o 'specify the a "'^ority for each word. A few are 
given in a.i indefinite wa\. jUSt as they occur, scattered through 
books and paperf, and ^o\ne of these seem purely fanciful, but 
(lOubtful ones will be r-ved, and ]jrobably nine tenths of the 
New York names are we * -ustained. 

The name of a vilLi^.^ Aas often of a trivial character, and yet 
was retained through r removals, whetlier applicable or not. 



4 INDIAN NAMES. 

In this case it often became practically meaningless, as so many 
of our own names have become ; a name, and nothing more. It 
was very natural that towns should often have more than one of 
these, for we have no difficulty in recognizing states, cities, and 
villages, by titles not conferred by law. Indeed, in our inter- 
course with the Indians, we know many places better as the resi- 
dence of their chiefs than by their own proper titles. Little 
Beard's, Catharine's, and Cornplanter's towns are cases in point. 
Aboriginal practice was much like our own. 

In a list of 1,885 ^^^^^ of the United States, pubHshed for the 
Fish Commission, 285 have Indian names, but a larger propor- 
tion is shown in rivers and streams. In a hst of principal rivers 
flowing into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, but excluding 
those of the St. Lawrence basin, 724 have Indian names. By 
adding those of this valley, the Pacific coast, and a multitude of 
small streams, the list might be doubled. 

Of our States and territories half have Indian titles, and the 
names of most of our large lakes come from the Fame source. 
This is all the more remarkable in the latter case, from the vary- 
ing practice of the aborigines, and the early use the French 
especially made of other names. In this and other instances, it 
will be found that early names were sometimes applied quite 
differently from what they are now. 

Mr. Morgan carefully noted the sounds of letters, as well as 
tlie accented syllables, while Mr. Marshall paid attention only to 
the latter in affixing rigns. This is good as far as it goef. but 
only by a peculiar alphabet can we represent all the sounds. In 
those which I have t.-'ken down from the Onondaga, and occa- 
sionally from other dialects, I have endeavored to repref:ent the 
sound by the spelling, though not with perfect success. The eff"ort 
to do this is one cause of the length of Indian names as at first 
written. In most cares the penult is accented, but there are many 
exceptions, and this may vary frcm the first to the last S) liable. 



INDIAN NAMK.S. 5 

In collecting early names there is another source of perplexity 
in the nationality of various writers. The French did not spell 
as we would, and allowance has to be made for this fact. They 
learned the Huron language in Canada, which closely resembled 
the Mohawk, and their first intercourse with the Irocjuois, as mis- 
sionaries, was with the latter nation. The result was that when 
they first came to Onondaga, they wrote down local names in the 
Mohawk form. The Dutch and English writers did much the 
same, following their own linguistic usage. The Moravians had 
marked peculiarities of spelling, but also followed the Mohawk 
dialect. Zeisberger studied the IVIohawk before the Onondaga 
tongue, yet it is quite curious to find that most of his large On- 
ondaga lexicon is composed of Mohawk words, and this after he 
had spent many months at the Onondaga capital. 

It is not easy to take down Iroquois words accurately, and 
many names were written under adverse circumstances, and by 
those whose learning was very hmited. It is a common thing to 
find a name spelled several different ways, in a document of a 
few hundred words. 

Besides the lists of Messrs. Marshall and Morgan, many names 
will be found in the Jesuit Relations. Clark appended quite a 
list to his History of Onondaga. Hough furnished many in his 
several works. A few occur in Schoolcraft, and a number in De 
Schweinitz's Life of David Zeisberger. Hoffman has a mixed 
collection of Adirondack names, partly fanciful it would seem, in 
his Vigil of Faith. Quite a collection was published by S. G. 
Boyd in 1885, under the title of "Indian Local Names." But 
few of this lifct belong to New York. Heckewelder, Conrad 
Weiser, Spargenberg and others, furnish some, and many will be 
found in the publications of various hutorical societies. To all 
the!^e I am indeb'ed, while I have had valuable aid from the Rev. 
Albert Cusick, of the Onondaga nation. His early kinsman, 
Davul Cus.'ck, preserved quite a number in his Sketches of 



INDIAN NAMES. 



Ancient History of the Six Nations, often with the meaning, but 
those without were so essentially correct that it was easy to in- 
terpret most of them. 

Experience has proved that a false interpretation cannot easily 
be set aside, if it is a favorite. It pleases the fancy, and will be 
allowed as at least a harmless fiction, when found not to be a 
fact. Some names, however, reveal the truths of history, but 
these are very few. On the whole we do not always gain by 
learning the meaning of a name which pleases the eye, however 
satisfactory it may be to do so. Some names have been pruned, 
to suit our civihzed tastes, and have not their early forms- 
Schoolcraft took this liberty with Cusick's names, saying: "I 
abbreviate these names from the originals, for the sole purpose 
of making them readable to the ordinary reader." In general, 
however, this has been less deliberately done, but, changed or 
unchanged, our Indian names are among the most satisfactory 
we have. In common use they are likely to increase, but due 
regard should be had to their meaning, and the places to which 
they are assigned. There are Indian names almost as foreign to 
New York as Syracuse and Utica. 



ALBANY COUNTY. 

Both banks of the Hudson were in the territory of the Mohe- 
gans, and many of the names are early. This nation was known 
as Wolves to the others, and called Loups by the French, and, 
with their kindred tribes, occupied the whole of the Hudson 
river until driven from its upper waters by the Mohawks. Near 
Albany they had some forts and much cultivated land. Their 
language was radically diflerent fiom the Iroquois. 

Pas-sa-pe-nock, below Albany, is now Bear island. 

Sne-ackx island is above the city. These marked the north 
and £Outh limits of the tract purchased west of the river in 1630. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 7 

The Mo-en-em-in-es castle was on an island at the month of 
the Mohawk, at that time. 

Co-hoes Falls had this nan.e at an early day, and it means a 
shipxurecked canoe, the owners of which had a very remarkable 
escape, described in the old annals. 

Ga-asch li-nick was a Delaware name for Albany. 

Pem-pot a-wut-hut is another name for the same place, mean- 
ing fireplace of the nation. 

San-a-ha-gog is Rensselaerwyck. 

Ha-an-a krois, or Haw-na-kraus creek. This is one of the 
names which have both an European and Indian air. On the 
maj) of the New York grants it is Ham-cram kill. 

On-is-ke-thau was an early name for Coeyman's creek. 

Hag-gu-a-to appears between Coeyman's creek and the Batten 
kill, on the map of New York grants. 

Ni£-cat-ha is on the Helderberg mountains on the same map, 
and jirobably has some reference to Indian corn. 

Ach-que-tuck, or A-que-tuck, was an early name for Coeyman's 
Hollow. 

Ta-wa-sent-ha, or Ta-wai sont-ha, is doubtfully said to mean a 
place of many dead. Norman's kill. 

Ta-waJ:-Ja-gun-shee has been interpreted as Look-out /lill, z."^- 
phed to Kidd's Heights. 

Shat-e-muc, or Pelican 7'ivei\ was one of the many names given 
to the Hudson, but properly belongs farther down. The pelican 
occasionally i caches the small lakes of the State even now. 

Skah-neh-ta-de, River beyond the pines, and Skagh-negh-ta-da, 
End of the pine icfoods, are among the many forms and defini- 
tions of the name of Schenectady, otiginally apphed to the Hud- 
son at Albany. A good rule will work both ways, and the name 
is just as appropriate where it is now fixed, provided the journey 
is made westward. Morgan gives the name as meaning Beyond 
the openini^s, in the Seneca dialect. David Cusick gave it as 



8 INDIAN NAMES. 

Shaw-na-taw-ty, Beyo/id the pineries, and I received substantially 
the same definition at Onondaga. San-a-ta-tea and Ko-ha-ta-tea 
seem other forms of the same word. 

I-sut-che-ra, Hill of oil, Trader's Hill, three miles west of Al- 
bany. 

Oi-o-gue, Beautiful river; applied to the Hudson above 
Albany, but mentioned still farther up by Father Jogues in 1646. 
They passed Lake George by land ; " Six leagues from the lake 
they crossed a small river that the Iroquois called Oiogue : the 
Hollanders who are settled on it, but farther down, have named 
it river Van Maurice," now the Hudson. 

ALLEGANY COUNTY. 
Loskiel says of the Allegany, " the Delawares call this river 
Al-li-ge-wis-i-po, which the Europeans have changed to Al-h-ghe- 
ne, and the Iroquois call it Ohio, that is, the beautiful river." 
Heckewelder also says, "The Delawares call the former Al-li- 
ge-wi Si-pu, the River of the Al-li-ge-wi." Some have thought 
these the mound builders, who were driven off by the northern 
nations. The name is not uniformly spelled. 

Ga-ne-o-weh-ga-yat, Head of the stream. Angehca, 
Ga-o-ya-de-o, Where the heavens rest upon the earth, 
Caneadea. A wide opening in the forest, at this place, 
gave a peculiar appearance to the earth and sky, on which the 

name is founded. 

0-wa-is-ki, Under the banks, Wiscoy creek. 

Shan-a-has-gwa-i-kon creek. An affluent of the Genesee, men- 
tioned in Morris's deed of 1793. 

]a.-gO'yo-gth, Hearing plQce. Black creek. The name of this 
stream seems to have been continuous. 

Kar-at-hy-a-di-ra, a Seneca village at Belviderc, in 1765. 

Con e-wan-go, Indian village of 1779. 

Tagh-roon-wa go, another of the same year. 

On-ogh-sa-da-da-go, Where buried thi)igs are dug up. Meaning 



INDIAN NAMKS. 9 

given me by Rev. Albert Cusick. A Seneca town near Canawa- 
go, in 1744. 

On-on-dar-ka, Village on a hill, north of Karathyadirha, on a 
map of 177 I, defined by the same person. 

R. Sis-to-go-a-et. Part of Genesee river, on Pouchot's map. 

Che-nun-da creek, Shon-go, and Canaseraga are other names. 

BROOME COUNTY. 

Nan-ti-coke was one of the early Indian names farther south, 
and is equivalent to U-necht-go, or Tide 7uater people ; which is 
very nearly the meaning of every name given this nation. They 
were conquered by the Iroquois, and were removed by them to 
the vicinity of Binghamton about the middle of the last century. 
Their reputation was bad. 

Ot-se-nlngo, a village near Binghamton in 1779. O-se-win-go 
is the same, and there are several other forms. 

Che- nan-go, Bull thistle, is the present spelling of the preced- 
ing, and essentially the same name appears much farther west. 

Chug-nutts, or Cho-co-nut, was a village below the last, de- 
stroyed in 1779. A. Cusick thought the meaning was Place of 
tamaracks. 

On-oh-agh-wa ge is a mountain near Oquaga. 

Oquaga, On-ogh-qua-ga, or On-och-ge-ru-ge, was a village at 
Windsor, burned in 1779. Cusick thought it meant Place of 
hulled corn soup. 

Skow-hi-ang-to, near Windsor, was destroyed at the same time. 
It means simply Tuscarora hnvn. 

Ok-kan-um, Kil-la-wog, and Cook- qua go, are other names. 

CATTARAUGUS COUNTY. 

Ga-da-ges-ga-o, Stinking water. Cattaraugus creek. 
Con-e-wan-go creek, /;/ the rapids. Tliis may be comj)ared 
with the Mohawk. Caughnawaga. A fanciful interpretation is They 



lO INDIAN NAMES. 

hai>e been long gone. In various forms it was a common name. 

0-hee-yo, Beautiful river. Allegany river. 

He-soh, Floating nettles. Ischuna creek. 

O-da-squa-wa-teh, Small stofie beside a large one. Little Valley 
creek. 

Te-car-nohs, Dropping oil. Oil creek. 

O-so-a-yeh, Pine forest. Oswaya creek. 

Je-ga-sa-neh. Burton creek, so called after an Indian. 

Te-car-no-wun-do, Lime lake., which is the present name. 

De-as-hen-da-qua, Place of courts. Ellicottville. 

0-so-a-went ha, By the pines. Hasket creek. 

De-o-na-ga-no, or Te-on-i go-no, Cold Spring. An Allegany 
village. 

To-nea-dih, Beyond the great bend. Another village on the 
same reservation. 

Da-ude-hok-ta, At the bend. Bend village. 

Ga-qua-ga-o-no Wa-a-gwen-ne-yuh, Trail of the Kah-k^vahs^ 
often called Eries. Another village. The words are reversed in 
translation. 

Che-na shun-ga-ton. Name of the junction of Cold Spring 
creek and Allegany river in Mary Jemison's early days. 

Tu-ne-un-gwant, or Tu-ne-ga-want, A)l eddy not strong. In 
Carrollton, and also applied to a valley. 

Tu-nes-sas-sa, Clear pebbly stream. A village. 

Go-wan-da and Allegany are other names. 
CAYUGA COUNTY. 

Te-car-jik-ha-do, Place of salt. Montezuma, where there are 
salt springs. For a long time the Indians used no salt, and 
sometimes the Iroquois objected to eating Europeans because of 
their salty taste. 

De-a-wen-dote, Cojistant dawn, called Cho-no-dote in 1779. 
Aurora. It is odd that the Indian and European names should 
thus correspond. 



INDIAN NAMES. II 

Was-gvvas, Long bridge. Cayuga bridge, once the longest in 
the world. 

Ga-weh-no-vva-na, Great island. Howland island, the largest 
in Seneca river. Compare with this one Iroquois name of the 
Susquehanna. 

Squa-yen-na, A great 7vay up; i. e., from the Seneca river. 
Otter lake and Muskrat creek. 

Dats-ka-he, Hard talking. North Sterling creek. We know 
nothing of this wordy war. 

Te-ga-hone-sa-o-ta, Child in dah frame. Sodus Bay creek. 

Kaaa-ka-ge, Black 7v ate r. Owasco inlet. By itself black is 
kahonji in Mohawk, osuntah in Onondaga, and sweandaea in 
Cayuga, but a similar meanmg may be otherwise expressed, and 
Morgan gives Two Sisters creek, in Erie county, as Te-car-na-ga- 
ge, or Black taaters, the Indian name being essentially the same. 

De-a-go-ga-ya, Where men were killed. Owasco outlet. 

Os-co, Bridge over 7vater. Auburn. 

Dwas-co. Bridge on the water., or floating. Auburn. This 
differs a little from Morgan, but A. Cusick told me that 
both of these are used, with this distinction. Kirkland, in 1764, 
mentioned Owasco as Lake Nascon. 

Ge-wau-ga, Point running out. Union Springs. 

Ga-ya-ga-an-ha, Inclined downwards. A village 4:hree miles 
south of Union Springs. 

Goi-o-guen, the same place. An early name of the nation 
and lake. The interpretations vary greatly, as will appear from 
what follows. 

Goi-o-gogh, Mountain risingfrom the 7vater; perhaps in allu- 
sion to the sight of the distant hills from the marshes. David 
Cusick. 

Ca-yu-ga, Where they haul boats out, after passing the marsh- 
es. Albert Cusick. See also Niagara county, where Morgan 



12 INDIAN NAMES. 

renders Gwa-u-gweh as Taking canoe out, at the Tonawanda por- 
tage. The name clorely resembles another. 

Gwe-u-gweh, Lake at the tnucky land. This is Mr. Morgan's 
interpretation, but his name can hardly be distinguished from the 
preceding. I think these are rather expressive of an idea than 
an exact interpretation, the passage of the marshes and the firm- 
er land beyond being kept in view. 

Gan-i-a-ta-re-ge-chi-at was also a nauie for the lake give.i by 
Zeisberger. In this the first five s) Tables mean take. He also 
mentions the villages of San-ni-o, Oa-da-cha-re, Tga-a-ju, and 
Gan-a-ta-ra-ge, the last being a village on the lake and nearest 
Onondaga. In the nanie preceding this will be recognized the 
prefix tga. 

On-i-o-en was a name for the whole Cayuga country in 1654. 

Ti-che-ro was given as the name of Cayuga lake in 1677, by 
Greenhalgh, but was probably the same at the following : 

Thi-o-he-ro, River of rushes. Seneca river, in the same }ear, 
and also a village of the same name, so called from the abun- 
dance of flags. The Onondaga Eel tribe is said to have origin- 
ated here. 

Cho-ha-ro, a village of 1779, is probably the same name. 

On-on-ta-re, a village on the Seneca river in 1656. The name 
refers to a conspicuous hill, probably Fort Hill, south of Savan- 
nah, where there is a small earthwork. 

Ther-o-tons, or Chrou-tons, Little Sodus bay. 

Chou-e-guen. The earliest appearance of the name of Oswego 
in the French form, was at Cayuga in 1760. "The river Choue- 
guen, which rises in this lake, scon brarches into several canals." 
It had many names farther down its course. 

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY. 

Chaut-au-qua has become one of tie best known of our In- 
dian names, and has many interpretations. Mr. Albert S. Gatr- 



INDIAN NAMES. I3 

diet was told, on high authority, that ''To sj)ell it 'Chatakwa' 
would conform better to scientific orthography, for the first two 
syllables are both pronounced short ;" but this seems a mistake. 
Alden wrote it as pronounced by the Seneca chief Cornplanter, 
" Chaud-dauk-wa." Mr. O. H. Marshall added to this, "■ It is a 
Seneca name, and in the orthography of that nation, according 
to the system of the late Rev. Asher Wright, long a missionary 
among them, and a fluent speaker of their language, it would be 
written ' Jah-dah-gwah, ' the first two vo.vels being long, and the 
last short." Mr. L. H Morgan gives the name in all but the 
Oneida dialect, with slight variation. In all he' makes a sound 
as iy-i /ar. The Frencli spelling might prove but little, but Sir 
William Johnson wroe it •' Jadaghque," and thus it appears on 
the boundary map of 1768. 

It first appeared historically in De Celoron's expedition of 1749 » 
and was applied to the lake, the portage, and to the terminus of 
this on Lake Erie. The prevailing French form was Chadakoin. 
Mr. Marshall gave the various meanings ascribed to the name, 
as •' The place where a child was swept away by the waves, " 
"the foggy place,'" -'the elevated place," "the sack tied in the 
middle," in allusion to the lake's outline. He preferred the one 
given him by " Dr. Peter Wilson, an educated Seneca."' Dr. 
Wilson was a Cayuga chief, who furnished material for many of 
the notes in Street's " Frontenac. '" This is the chiefs account, 
which agrees with the most relial:)le interpretation : " A party of 
Senecas were returning from the Ohio to Lake Erie, while pad- 
dling through Chautauqua lake, one of them caught a strange 
fish and tossed it into his canoe. After passing the.j)ortage into 
Lake Erie they found the fish still alive, and thre-A' it in the water. 
From that time the new spec'es became abundant in. Lake Erie, 
where one was never known before. Hence they called the place 
where it was caught Jah-dali-gwah, the elements of vvhicli a:e 
Cra-joh. " fish," and Ga-dah-gwah, " drawn out." By dropjnng 



J A INDIAN NAMES. 

the prefixes, according to Seneca custom, the compound name, 
" Jah-dah-gwah," was formed. 

In the main this interpretation will stand. Mr. Gatschet sim- 
ply reverses the story, taking the fish from Lake Erie. On the 
other hand, Morgan interprets it as P/ace where one was lost 
On Pouchot's map of 1758, the Conewango, flowing from the lake, 
appears as the River Shatacoin. 

Kas-an-ot-i-a-yo-go, or Jon-as-ky, was at one end of the Chau- 
tauqua portage, in 1753. 

Di-on-ta-ro-ga, or At-to-ni-at, was on the same at that time. 

Can-non-dau-we-gea seems the next creek south of Cattarau- 
gus, as mentioned in the land purchases, but the distance is not 
given, and it was probably the following : 

Ga-na-da-wa-o, Running through the hemlocks. Can-a-da-wa 
creek and Dunkirk. 

Ga-a-nun-da-ta, A mountain levelled. Silver creek. 

Ga-no wun-go, In the rapids. A favorite name here given to 
Chautauqua creek and Conewango river. 

Gus-da-go, Under the rocks. Cassadaga lake and creek. 

Ka-e-ou-ag-e-gein is on Pouchot's map for Cattaraugus creek. 

CHEMUNG COUNTY. 

Che-mung, Big horn, from a collection of large elk horns in 
the water there. The village was burned in 1779. 

Ru non-ve-a, destroyed in the same year. Big Flats. Cusick 
thought this Ru-non-dea, Place of a King; perhaps a rendezvous 
for royalists. 

Con-e-wa-wa, Ka-no-wa-lo-hale, and Kon a-wa-hol-la, are dif- 
ferent forms of a favorite name, occuring near Elmira at the 
same time, and meaning Head on a pole. This was an Oneida 
name, but the nations, in extending their rettlements, carried 
names with them, as we have done. 

She-do-wa, Great plain. Elmira. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 1 5 

Gan-at-0-che-rat, a Cayuga town on the Chemung river in 
1750. Possibly a name derived from a town on Cayuga lake. 

Sing Sing creek is said to have been the name of a resident 
Indian, but is more likely to have been taken from the Monsey 
town of 1750, which was not far off, and was called As-sin-nis 
sink. 

CHENANGO COUNTY. 

0-che-nang, Bull thistles. Clienango river. 

Otselic, Capful. It has also been rendered rium creek, but 
shows no resemblance to the Onondaga word for plum. 

Sa-de-ah-lo-wa-nake, TAick necked giant. Oxford. This 
seems connected with Cusick's story of the troublesome giant, 
whom his friends were obliged to banish, and at last destroy. 
According to the story he built a fort here, and then at Sidney 
Plains. There were earth works at both places. 

Ga-na-da-dele, Steep hill. Sherburne. 

Ga-na-so-wa-di, The other side of the sand, as given to me. 
Norwich. 

Gen-e-ganst-let and Can-a-sa-was-ta are creeks. 

CLINTON COUNTY. 

Squin-an-ton, or Sque-on-on-ton, rendered a deer, to wliich the 
name has some resemblance. The Mohawks call this animal 
Oskoneantea. Cumberland Head. This is Cape Scc-mo-ti-on 
on the map of the New York and New Hampshire grants. 

Sen-hah-lo-ne, Plattsburgh. Cusick thought this He is still 
buildi?ig. 

Sar-a-nac. An old form is Sal-a-sa-nac. 

COLUMBIA COUNTY. 

Most of the names of this county are in old patents, and are 
of little importance. Nearly all of the following are in those of 
L ivingston Manor, and vary much in the several copies. 



1 6 INDIAN NAMES. 

Sank-he-nack, an early name of Jansen's Kill. 

Kick-u-a, or Kick-pa, and Wa-han-ka-sick, were near this. 

Min-nis-sich-ta-nock was north of this creek. 

A-hash-a-wagh-kick, a hill in the north-east corner of the manor, 
with a stone-heap. 

Ma-nan-o-sick, another in the south part. 

Ma-wan-a-gwa-sick, or Wa-wan-a-quas-sick on the north line, 
"where the heapes of stones lie, * * which the Indians 
throw upon another as they pass from an ancient custom amongst 
them." 

Wa-han-ka-sick, a creek near Jansen's Kill. 

Ac-a-wa-nuck, or Ac-a-wai-sik, a rock in the south-east corner. 

Ma-hask-a-kook, a cripple bush in the south part. I find no 
definition of cripple bush in any dictionary or botany, but it 
means a creeping bush, perhaps a species of Viburnum. In the 
patent some Indians are called Cripple Indians. 

Na-cha-wach-ka-no, a creek in the south part. 

Qui-sich-kooh, a small creek. 

Pott-kook, a creek south of Kinderhook. 

Wack-an-e-kas-seck, a creek opposite Catskill. 

Ska-an-kook, a creek. 

Ta-was-ta-we-kak, the same farther down. 

Kach-ka-wa-yick, west of the mountains. 

Ma-which-nack, a flat at the junction of two stream?. 

No-wan-nag-qua-sick, a flat with a large stone at one end. 

Ni-chan-kook, a plain. 

Sa-ask-a-hamp-ka, or Sack-a-ham-pa, a dry gully opposite Sau- 
gerties. 

Sa-cah-ka, a stream at the extreme east point, near five lime 
trees. 

Wich-qua-pak-kat, at the south-east corner of main part of 
the manor. 

Nup-pa, Wuh-quas-ka, and Wa-wy-ach-ts nock are other names. 



INDIAN NAMES. 17 

Tagh-ka-nick has been interpreted IVater enough, from springs 
there, but others render ta-con-ic, as, forest or wilderness. 

Scom-pa-muck, in the town of Ghent. 

Co-i)ake appears on the map of 1798 as Cook-pake lake, and 
the three following are on the same map. 

Na-na pa-ha-kin kill. 

Che-co-min-go kill. 

Wash-bum- mountain. 

Kah-se-way. Mat-tas-huck, and Wy-o-ma-nock are other 

names. 

CORTLAND COUNTY. 

Te-yogh-a-go-ga, earlj- form of Ti-ough-ni-o-ga, Meeting of 
waters. In various forms a frequent name at the forks of rivers. 

0-nan-no-gi-is-ka, Shag bark hickory. Onondaga name for the 
Tioughnioga river. 

Te-wis-ta-no-ont-sa-nea-ha, Place of silver smith. Homer. 

O-no-wan o-ga-wen-se, a tributary of the Tioughnioga from the 
west, mentioned in land treaties. It may be a form of a name 
of the latter already given. 

Ragh-shough, a creek north of the last, and mentioned with it. 

Gan-i-o-ta-ra-gach-rach-at, a small lake mentioned in Spang. 
enberg's journal of 1745. Mr. Jordan thought this CrandalFs 
pond. Albert Cusick translated it as Long long. 

Gan-ner-at-ar-as-ke, from the same journal. Cusick thought 
this meant Ihe way to the long lake, and Mr. Jordan identified 
it with Big lake, in Preble. 

Che nin-go creek and Skan-e-at-e-les inlet are other names. 

DELAWARE COUNTY. 

Skah un do-wa, hi the plains. Delaware river. 
Cook-qua-ga, or Cak-qua-go a branch of the same stream. 
Cusick gave me the meaning as the place of a girPs skirt. 
Te-whe-ack, affluent of the west branch of this river. 



ig INDIAN NAMES. 

As-tra-gun-te-ra, another tributary, may derive its name from 
Atrakwenda, a flint. 

Oul-e-out creek was Au-ly-ou-let in 1768. Given me as a coti- 
timiing voice, as though that of water. 

Che-hoc-ton, or Sho-ka-kin, at the branches of the Delaware 
river in Hancock, has been said to mean Utiion of streams. 

O-wa-ri-o-neck, tributary to the Susquehanna, 1779. 

A-wan-da creek belongs to the east branch of the Susquehanna. 

Ti-a-dagh-ta is a stream flowing into the west fork of this 

branch. 

Ad-i-qui-tan-ge, a branch of the Susquehanna in Kortwright. 

Ad-a-geg-tin-gue, or Ad-a-gugh-tin-gag, a brook in Davenport. 
The name may be the same as the preceding. 

Ad-a-quag-ti-na. The Charlotte river. Given as Ad-a-qui-tan- 

gie in 1790. 

On-o-wa-da-gegh, a Mohawk village of 1766, interpreted for 

me as white clay or muddy place. 

Coke-ose has been rendered p?^'/^ nest, and from this Cook- 
house is said to have been derived. Deposit. 

Pak-a tagh-kan, an Indian village formerly existing at Mar- 
garetville, on the Delaware. 

Ca-shick-a-tunk, a village on Fish creek, which is a biancli of 
the Delaware. 1788. 

yt-sy ant-hi-a lake. Apparently the same as the next. 

Ote-se-on-te-o, a spring at the head of Delaware river. Given 
me as Beautiful Spring, cold and pure. 

Pe-pach-ton river. Po-pac-ton and Pa-po-tunk. 

Ca-do-si-a creek. Given me as Cornered with a blanket. 

Mongaup valley. 

The names and settlements on the Delaware were mostly of 
that nation. It is curious how the name of a British nobleman 
has become so completely identified with an Indian people as to 



INDIAN NAMES. 1 9 

seem almost native to the soil. It became at last the leading 
name of the Mohegan tribes, but I have no personal interpreter 
speaking this language. 

DUTCHESS COUNTY. 

The names in this county are of the Algonquin family, but arc 
not numerous. 

Ap-o-keep-sink has been rendered Deep 7i<ater and safe harbor^ 
but doubtfully, for Poughkeepsie. Early forms arc Pi-cip-si and 
Po-kip-sie. 

She-kom-e-ko, a Moravian Indian town of 1750, at Pine Plains. 
The creek is sometimes spelled Che-kom-i-ko. 

Ap-o-quage, Round lake. Silver lake. 

Mat-te-a-wan, Council of good fur. 

Hack-en-sack, Low land. A New Jersey name. 

Shen-an-do-ah Corners. Recent application of a Virginia 
name. 

Wic-co-pee Pass. 

Wap-pin-ger's creek. Opossum. 

Stis-sing mountains. 

Se-pas-co lake. 

Was-sa-ic, Pough-quag and We-ba-tuck are other names. 

Ma re-gond pond, 1779. 

ERIE COUNTY. 

The name of Erie, meaning a Cat., was applied to the nations 
destroyed by the Iroquois in 1655. They are usually identified 
with the Kah kwahs, although some have thought the latter the 
Neutrals, who at one time had three villages east of the Niagara 
river. On a m*ap of 1680, the " Ka Koua-go-ga. a nation de- 
stroyed,'' IS located near Buffalo. If this was the Neutral nation, 
w^hose villages were mostly in Canada, if not entirely so at that 
time, this map takes no notice of the populous and destroyed 



20 INDIAN NAMES. 

Eries. Charlevoix said of the lake, " The name it bears is that 
of an Indian nation of the Huron language, which was formerly 
seated on its banks, and who have been entirely destroyed by 
the Iroquois. Erie in that language signifies Cat, and in some 
accounts this nation is called the Cat nation. This name comes 
probably from the large quantity of these animals formerly found 
in this country. Some modern maps have given- lake Erie the 
name of Conti, but with no better success than the names of 
Conde, Tracy, and Orleans, which have been given to the lakes 
.Huron, Superior and Michigan." Albert Cusick tells me that 
Kah-kwah means aii eye swelled like a cafs or prominent rather 
than deep set. The Eries may thus have had both names, the 
one from a fancied resemblance to that animal. Before this I 
think no definition of Kah-kwah has been given. It appears 
several times in combinations of local names, and tends to 
strengthen the belief that this was one name of the Eries, con- 
cerning whom Seneca traditions alone remain. ^ 

A large proportion of the following names are in O. H. Mar- 
shall's list, many of them practically agreeing with' Morgan's. A 
few are from other sources. ' 

To-na-wan-da creek. At the rapids^ ox Rough water; a frequent 
name in various forms. 

Mas-ki-non-gez, from the fish 9f that name, which is spelled 
in so many ways. An early Chippewa name of the same stream, 
a part of this nation having had villages in New York over a 
hundred years ago. 

Ni-ga-we-nah-a-ah, Smallislajid. Tonawanda island. 

Swee-ge was an early name for Lake Erie used by the English, 
and equivalent to Oswego, in which form it also appeared in 
1726. It seems to have been derived from the Indian name of 
Grand river in Canada. In the beaver land deed of 1701, it 
reads, " The lake called by the natives Sahiquage, and by the 



INDIAN NAMES. 21 

Christians the lake of Swege." That of 1726 is a little different: 
" Beginning from a creek called Canahogue on the Lake Os- 
weego." 

Sa-hi-qua-ge was an Indian name for this lake, given as above, 
and seems equivalent to the next. 

■ Kau-ha-g\va-rah-ka, A Cap. This is given in Cusick's history, 
and I have had its accuracy confirmed in its translation. It is 
applied to the same lake, and one would infer that it is nearly 
two thousand years old, from David Cusick's account, which 
does not agree with Marshall's story. A Seneca name has much 
the same sound, Ga-i-gwaah-geh. In the deed of 1726 the for- 
mer name essentially is applied to the upper i;art of Niagara 
river, Ca-ha-qua-ra-gha. As 'Niagara means a neck, and this 
word a cap, it may refer to the position of this portion of the 
river. 

Marshall, however, relates a story connected with the name 
which should not be omitted, though perhaps fanciful. It was 
applied to Fort Erie, and he translates it P/ace of hats. '' Seneca 
tradition relates, as its origin, that in olden time, soon after the 
first visit of the white man, a battle occurred on the lake be- 
tween a party of French in batteaux and Indiansin canoes. The 
latter were victorious, and the French boats were sunk and the 
crews drowned. Their hats tlcated ashore where the fort was 
subsequently built, and attracting the attention of the Indians 
from their novelty, they called the locality the place of hats." 
There h;eems no historical foundation for this story. 

Ga-noh-hoh-geh, The place filled up, vs^ sometimes applied to 
the lake, but \ icperly belongs to Long Point. There was an 
Indian tradition that the Great Beaver built a dam across the 
lake, of which Long Point and Presque Isle are the fragments. 

Do-dio weh. Splitting the forks. Buffalo. This is from Mor- 
gan, but is net well sustained. Marsi.all gives the usual defin- 
ition. 



22 INDIAN NAMES. 

It will not be amiss to give a few statements regarding the 
eastward ra,nge of the buffalo, of which the first New York ac- 
count is in Wassenaer's history, 1621-1632. He is speaking of 
the Indians among the highlands of the Hudson : " On seeing the 
head of Taurus, one of the signs of the Zodiac, the women know 
how to explain that it is a horned head of a big, wild animal, 
which inhabits the distant country, but not theirs." In Van der 
Donck's New Netherlands, not much later, he says that " Buf- 
faloes also are tolerably plenty. The animals keep towards the 
south-west, where few people go." He speaks of them intel- 
ligently at that early day. 

In 17 18, M. de Vaudreuil said that " Buffaloes abound on the 
south shore of Lake Erie, but not on the north." At that time 
there were Buffalo creeks in New York and Pennsylvania. These 
animals were abundant in the open forests of Ohio a hundred 
years ago, as well as in West Virginia. They frequented salt 
hcks. In 1688, La Hontan said that at the foot of Lake Erie, 
•^ We find wild beeves, upon the banks of two rivers that dis- 
charge into it without cataracts or rapid currents." However 
rare east of tlie Apalachian range, Lawson relates that two were 
killed in one year on the Appomatox, a branch of the James 
river. It seems reasonable, therefore, to suppose that Buffalo 
had Its name from the occasional presence of this animal. 
Do-syo-wa, Place of basswooch. From their abundance. 
To-se-o-way and Te-ho-se-ro-ron are among the other forms. 
Tick-e-ack-gou-ga-ha-un-da, Bujfa/o creek, is applied to the 
stream only. It is disputed whether buffaloes were ever found 
there, or whether the stream was not called after a Seneca In- 
dian of the Wolf clan, named De-gi-yah-goh, nr Buffalo, who 
lived there. As Oak Orchard creek, still further east, was known 
as Riviere aux Boeufs, or Buffalo creek, as early as 1721, the 
probability is that buffaloes reached that part of New York at 
least. 



INDIAX NAMES. 23 

Gali-gwah-ge-ga-aah, or Gah-gwah-geh, Home of the Kah- 
hua/is. Eighteen Mile creek. Tliis is Kogh-quau-gu, in the 
land jnirchase of 1797, otherwise Ga-gwa-ga creek, Creek of the 
cat /latiofi, Kah-kwah meaning a>j eye swelled like a cafs. 

Ta-nun-no-ga-o, Full of Hickory bark, is another name for 
this creek. 

Sca-ja-qua-dy creek, named after an Indian. It is called 
Scoy-gu-quoi-des in the land treaties, and tlows into the Niagara 
east of Grand Island. 

Gen-tai-e-ton was an early Erie village, where Catharine Gan- 
di-ak-te-na, an Oneida convert, was born. A captive girl, she 
married an Oneida, and after a life of great piety died in 1673. 

Ga-da-geh, Through the oak openings. Cayuga creek. Foi 
the same name and place Marshall gives Fishing place with a 
scoop basket. 

Ji-ik-do-waah-geh, Place of crab apple tree. Chicktawauga 
creek. 

De-on-gote, Hearing Place. Murderer's creek at Akron. See- 
un-gut. Roar of distant 7vaters, is the same. 

Ga-yah-gaawh-doh, The smoke has disappeared, the name of 
Old Smoke, a noted Seneca chief, who lived on this creek. 

De-dyo-deh-neh-sak-do, A gravel bend, is beyond Smoke's 
creek. It is called also Da-de-o-da-na-suk-to, essentially the 
same, but de lined as a Bend in the shore. 

Hah-do-neh, Place of June berries. Seneca creek. 

Ga-e-na-dah-daah, Slate rock bottom. Cazenovia creek. 
Morgan translates Ga-a-nun-deh-ta as Mountain flattened down, 
which may have been intended for a flat rocky surface. The 
different interpretations have often similar harmonies. 

De-yoh-ho-gah, Forks of the river. The junction of Cayuga 
and Cazenovia creeks; a common name. 

Ta-kise-da-ne yont, Place of the bell. Red Jacket's village, 



24 INDIAN NAMES. 

where the mission house was. Marshall renders it Tga-is-dani- 
yont, Place of the suspended bell. 

Tgah-sgoh-sa-deh, Place of the falls. Falls above. Upper 
Ebenezer. 

Dyo-nah-da-eeh, Hemlock elevation. Upper Ebenezer village. 

Tga-des, Long prairie. Meadows above the last. 

De-dyo-na-wa"h, The ripple. Middle Ebenezar village. 

Ori-on-dah-ge-gah-geh, Place of the Onondagas. A former 
village of that nation, west of Lower Ebenezer. 

Kan-hai-ta-neck-ge, Place of many streams. The same place, 
as given by David and interpreted by Albert Cusick. This was 
occupied by the Onondagas a hundred years ago. 
- Sha-ga-nah gah-yeh, Place of the Stockbridges, east of the last. 

De-as-gwah-da-ga-neh, hamper eel place. Lancaster village> 
after a person who lived there. 

Ga-squen-da-geh, Place of the lizard. This is the same name, 
and Morgan gives it for the same place. It may refer to one of 
Cusick's stories. 

De-yeh-ho-ga-da-ses, The oblique ford. Old ford at the Iron 
bridge. 

Tga-non-da-ga-yos-hah, Old village. Site of the first Seneca 
village on Buffalo creek, oii Twichell's flats. They had no vil- 
lages west of the Genesee valley for a long time after the Erie 
wa;:, 

Ni-dyio-nyah-a-ah, Narrow point. Farmer's Brother, Point. 
This chief was a noted orator of recent times. 

Yo-da-nyuh-gwah, A fishing place with hook and line. Beach 
above Black Rock. 

Tga-si-ya-deh, Rope ferry. Old ferry over Buffalo creek. 

Tga-no-so-doh, Place of houses. An old village in the forks of 
Smoke's creek. 

Dy-os-hoh, Sulphur spring, which is the present name. 



INDIAN NAMES. 25 

He-yont-gat-hwat-hah, Picturcscjiie place. Cazenovia bluff. 

Qid\\-A2>.-^2L-<\€\\, Place of misery. Williamsville, in allusion to 
the bleak and open meadows. An old chief, however, referred 
it to the open sky., where the trail crossed the creek. 

Ga-sko-sa-da-ne-o, iMa/iy fal/s, is another name for this place. 

Ga-we-not, Great island, is an early name for Grand island, 
but Morgan gives Ga-weh-no-geh, Oji the is/and. 

O-gah-gwah-geh, Home of the sunfish. Mouth of Cornelius 
creek. The Indian name is from a negro who lived here at an 
early day, and whom they called the sunfish, because of a red 
spot in one of his eyes. He married among them, and became 
influential, leaving many descendants. 

Ken-jock-e-ty creek, Beyond the multitude, called after the son 
of a Kah-kwah. He lived to a great age, and was an influential 
chief. More exactly the name is Sga-dyuh-gwa-dih, and this 
illustrates the frequent changes of names in our use of them, but 
this has been written in several other ways. 

Ga-noh-gwaht-geh. Wild grass of a particular kind, is another 
name for the same stream. 

De-o-steh-ga-a, A rocky shore, is that at Black Rock, so called 
from the outcrop of dark corniferous limestone. 

Te-car-na-ga-ge, Black itniter. Two Sisters' creek: 

Gada-o-ya-deh, Level heavens. EUicott creek. 

Pon-ti-ac, the name of the celebrated western chief, has been 
introduced as the name of a post-oftice. 

Dyos-da-o-dah, Rocky island, was the name of Bird island, but 
the stone of which it was composed has been removed and util- 
ized. 

Dyo-e-oh-gwes, Tall grass, ox flag island. Rattlesnake island. 

Dyu-ne-ga-nooh, Cold water. Cold Spring. 

De-dyo-we-no-guh-do, Divided islafid. Squaw island, so called 
from being crossed by a marshy creek. 

Marrhall uses more letters in his spelling than seems necessary, 



26 INDIAN NAMES. 

and Morgan's is far simpler, though not so exact in inflections. 
The hardening of some sounds will be observed in comparison 
with words among the eastern Iroquois, though Morgan gener- 
ally followed the Seneca pronunciation. 

ESSEX COUNTY. 

Ka-ya-dos-se-ras, a tract long in dispute about and north of 
Saratoga. It will be referred to again. 

Ad4r-on-dacks, Tree eaters. The present Onondaga name, 
with the same meaning, is Ha-te-en-tox. 

Ti-con-de-ro-ga has a bewildering variety of forms. Morgan 
gives it as Je-hone-ta-lo-ga, Noisy. It has also been rendered 
Tsi-non-dro-sie and Che-non-de-ro-ga, with the meaning of brawl- 
ing waters. The French called it Carillon from the bell-like 
sound of the falls, and they also called it Ti-on-di-on-do-guin in 
1744, applying the name to Lake Champlain. On the map of 
the land grants it is called, " R. Tyconderoge, or tale of the 
Lake." It does not seem, in early sound, essentially different 
from Tionondorage, or Teondeloga, the early name of the village 
near Fort Hunter. 

Hunck-sook, Where every one fights, has been given as a Mo 
began name for the same place. 

Lake Champlain has naturally many names. One of the 
present ones is 0-ne-a-da-lote. Another earlier name was Can- 
ia-de-ri Gua-run-te, the first word meaning lake. 

Teck-ya-dough Ni-gar-i-ge, was applied to the narrows be- 
tween Crown Point and Ticonderoga. 

Ro-tsi-ich-ni, Coward spirit, is another name, more recent 
which IS given to the lake, referring to an evil spirit who is said 
to have lived and died on one of its islands. 

Ro-ge-o was another rather early name for the lake, after the 
Mohawk chief, Rogeo, who was drowned at Split Rock. The 
rock was also called after him, and marked the north-east corner 



INDIAN NAMES. 27 

of the Mohawk territory. It was sometimes called Re-gi-ogh-ne 
and the point on the east shore by the same name. The Mohawks 
had a legend that an old Indian lived under this rock, who re- 
ceived offerings and controlled the winds and waves. Corlaer 
made fun of this story and was drowned, leaving the Indians to 
warn all scoffers by his fate. 

Cough-sa-gra-ge has been given as Dismal Wilderness^ and 
Coux-sa-chra-ga, which is the same, as Their hunting grounds. 
Both relate to the wilderness of New York in general, and Albert 
Cusick thought them a form of Mohawk, having reference to a 
child. It would seem, however, that the word might be derived 
from Kogh-se-rage, Winter, from the coolness of the mountain 
tract. 

Ju-to-west-hah, Hunting place, is the present Onondaga name 
foi the whole wilderness, as received by me. 

Ag an-us chi-on has been rendered Blach mountain range., and 
applied to the Adirondacks, but it seems to be the old name 
which the Iroquois gave to their country, and which means a long 
house. 

Kas-kong-sha-di, Broken water, is a rift of the Opalescent 
river. 

Skagh-ne-tagh-ro-wah-na, Largest lakes. This has been given 
as the name from which Schrcon lake was derived, and it was 
interpreted for me as The lake itself is large. Some think it de- 
rived from the French. Sknoona-pus has also been given as a 
name for this lake. 

Skon-o-wah-co. Schroon river. 

She-gwi-en-daw-kwe, or Gwi-en-dau-qua, Hanging spear, are 
the same names for the falls of the Opalescent river. 

Pa-pa-guan-e-tuck, River of cranberries. Au Sable river. 

San-da-no-na mountain has been thought a corruption of St. 
Anthony, but no reasons have been given for this opinion. The 
interpretation I received was Big mountain. 



28 INDIAN NAMES. 

Ir-o-quois and Al-gon-quin are names recently applied to two 
mountains. 'l"he latter is usually translated Lake, and the for- 
mer will be defined on a later page. 

Pit-tow-ba-gonk is a little known name for Lake Champlain, 
probably given by recent hunters. 

Ou-no-war-lah, Scalp mowitain. 

Ta-ha-wus, He splits the sky. Mt. Marcy. The post office is 
Ta-ha-wes. 

Me-tauk, Enchanted icwod. Adirondack Pass. 

Wa-ho-par-te-nie. White face mountain. I believe th e name 
of The-a-no-guen has been recently given to this, and it is much 
better, as meaning White Head, and being the name of Old 
Hendrick, the noted Mohawk chief, who lived to a great age, 
and was killed at the battle of Lake George in 1755. ^^ ^^^ 
so called from the remarkable whiteness of his scalp. The 
French spelling was The-ya-no-guen, etc. In the account of his 
condolence at Canajoharie it is Ti-ya-no-ga. On the deed of 
the beaver lands in 1701, his name is Te-o-ni-a-hi-ga-ra-we. 

FRANKLIN COUNTY. 

To-na-wa-deh, Swift water, or rapids, is the Racket or Rac- 
quette river, which has its common name from the French term 
for the Indian snow-shoes. The name of Ni-lia-na wa-te. Rapid 
river, is but a slight variation of the first. In Mas ta-qua. Lar- 
gest river, we have an Algonquin name. 

Tsi-tri-as-ten-ron-we, Natural daf/i, is applied to the lower 
falls of this river. 

Ou-lus-ka Pass was interpreted for me as Marchi?ig through 
grass and burrs. 

Ou-kor-lah, Big eye. Mt. Seward. I received the definition 
of Lfs eye. 

Am-per-sand pond and mountain. 

Kar-is-tau-tee, an island near St. Regis, and in the St. Law- 



INDIAN NAMES. 29 

rence, off the mouth of Sahnoii river, is so called after an Indian 
banished there by his tribe. 

Kil-lo-quaw, With rays, like the sun. Ragged lake. 

Win-ne-ba-go pond. Stinking water. A western name. 

Con-gam-muck, Lower Saranac lake. 

Pat-tou-gam-muck, Middle Saranac lake. 

Sin-ha-lo-nee-in-ne-pus, Large atid beautiful lake. Upper Sar- 
anac lake. 

Pas-kon-gam-muc, Jleasant lakes. Applied to the whole 
group. 

Wah-pole Sin-e-ga hu, the portage from Saranac lake to Rock 
river. 

Ak-wis-sas-ne, Where the partridge drums*. St. Regis. From 
the abundance of partridges, or the booming of ice with a sim- 
ilar sound. 

Ken-tsi-a-ko-wa-ne, Big fish river. Salmon river. 

Te-ka-swen-ka-ro-rens, Where they sa7a Iwards. Hogansburgh. 

Te-ka-no-ta-ron-we, Village on both sides of a river. Malone, 

Sa-ko-ron-ta-keh-tas, Where small trees are carried on the 
shoulder. Moira. 

O-sar-he-han, A difficult place which struggles make ivorse. 
Chateaugay. 

FULTON COUNTY. 

'$>^.cox\-<\'A.-^diX\\Qx, Dro7vned lands. A. Cusick gave me the 
meaning as stcafnpy or cedar lands, equivalent to a cedar swamp- 

Can-i-a-dut-ta creek, Stone standing out of the water. It is 
also rendered Ca-ya-dut-ta, and Ca-i-jut-ha. 

Ken-ne-at-too, Stone lying fiat in the 7vater. Fonda's creek. 
Ken-ny-et-to, sometimes applied to Vlaie creek and Lake Sacon- 
daga, hardly differs. 

Te-car-hu-har-lo-da, Visible over the creek. East Canada 
creek. 



30 INDIAN NAMES. 

Was-sont-ha, Fall creek, near Johnstown. 

Des-hont-ha, an early name for West Stony creek, may be the 
same as the last. 

Ko-lan-e-ka, a name for Johnstown in 1750. A. Cusick inter- 
preted this, Where he filled his bowl, with food or drink, perhaps 
alluding to Sir WiUiam Johnson's hospitality. Morgan defined 
it simply Indian Superintendent. ' - , 

GENESEE COUNTY. 

Gen-e-see, often written Che-nus-si-o at one time, is the same 
as Gen-e-se-o, Beautiful valley, but the name should have been 
given to another county. 

To-na-wan-da creek, Sruift running 7vater. 

Check-a-nan-go, or Black creek, given me as Chuck-un^hah, 
was also interpreted Place of Fenobscots, or perhaps some other 
eastern Indians. 

Ja-goo-yeh, Flace of hearing. Near Batavia, but also applied 
to Stafford. 

De-o-on-go-na, Great hearing place is another name for this, 
and Jo-a-ik, Raccoon, was once another. 

Ge-ne-un-dah-sa-is-ka, Mosquito, is also given as a name of 
Batavia. 

Te-ga-tain-asgh-gue, Double fort. Kirkland received this from 
the Senecas, as the name of some ruined earthworks near Ba- 
tavia, which he saw in the last century. 

0-at-ka creek. The opening. 

Canada, Alabama, Wyoming and Roanoke are introduced 
names. 

Gas-wa-dah, By the cedar swatnp. Alabama. 

Te-car-da-na-duk, Flace of many trenches. Oakfield. 

Gau-dak, By the plains. Caryville. 

G weh-ta-a-ne-te-car-nun- do-deh. Red village. Attica. 

'Dd^-o-?,a.-x\o-gQ\\, Flace 7tiithout a name. Alexander. 



INDIAN Names. 31 

Te-car-ese-ta-ne-ont, Place with a sign-board. Wyoming, 
Te-car-no^wun-na^da-ne-o, Alany rapids. Le Roy. 
O-a-geh, On the road. Pembroke. 
O-so-ont-geh, Place of turkeys. Darien. 

GREENE COUNTY. 

Po-tick hills-. The name is said to mean round. 

Cox-sack-ie has been given as Owl-hoot, but has also been 
written Kux-a-kee, Cut banks. 

Chough-tigh-ig-nick, the original name of Batavia creek. 

Kis-ka-tam-e-na-kook, a stream in the Catskills in 1794, has 
been interpreted Place 0/ shelled nuts. It is now Kis-ka-tom. 

Wa-wan-tap-e-kook, High and round hill, was near this. 

Wa-chach-keek, Jlilly land, was a plain near Catskill. 

On-ti-o-ra, or Afountains of the sky, is mentioned by Lossing 
as a name of the Catskills, and is now applied to one peak. A. 
Cusick did not know of this name, but said it would mean Very 
high mountain. 

HAMILTON COUNTY. 

Pi-se-co has been rendered Pish lake, which is more than 
doubtful. It is also said to have been called after an Indian 
named Pezeeko. 

U-to-wan-na lake, near the head waters of the Racquette river. 
This was given to me at Oo-ta-wa-ne, or Pig 7vaves, perhaps 
alluding to a storm at some particular time. 

Mo-ha-gan pond is near Racquette lake. 

Kag-ga-is, Ta-co-la go, Pi-wa-ket, and All-na-pook-na-pus are 
other small lakes. 

Ju-to-west-hah, Hunting place, is the present Onondaga name 
for the whole wilderness, and to the names already given may be 
added that of Tysch-sa-ron-di-a, " Where the Iroquois hunted 
beaver," though this is not a definition. It means Where they 
shoot. 



32 INDIAN NAMES. 

The following will be found in Hoffman, but some of them 
are occasional elsewhere, and all are not exactly located. 

In-ca-pah-cho, Bassuwod lake ; or the more euphonious name 
of linden trees may be used, from their abundance on Long lake. 

To-war-loon-dah, Hill of storms. Mount Emmons. 

No-do-ne-yo, Hill of the wind spirit. 

Yow-hale, Dead ground, the name of a river. 

Ti-o-ra-tie, Sky like, apphed to a lake. 

Ca-ho-ga-ron-ta, Torrent in the woods. 

Twe-nun-gas-ko, Donble voice, applied to an echomg glen. 

Nu-shi-o-na, the name of a valley. 

Nes-singh and Tes-su-ya are names of ponds. 

At-a-te-a, applied to a sluggish stream. 

Tu-na-sa-sah, Place of pebbles. 

HERKIMER COUNTY. 

Teugh-tagh-ra-row, Muddy creek as given to me, was an early 

name of West Canada creek. Te a-ho-ge, or Te-u-ge-ga. At the 

forks, is another name, and on a patent of 1768 it is called Tioga 

brook. Much of its course js through sandy loam and clay, but 

it includes the noted Trenton falls. 

Te-car-hu-har-lo-da, Visible over the creek, is the East Canada 
creek ; Ci-o-ha-na is another name for the same stream, meaning 
Large creek; and Sa-go-ha-ra is still another, given me by the 
same authority as Where I washed. . 

Cat-ha-tach-ua creek would be She had a path, if written Cot- 
ha-tach-ua, as my interpreter conjectures. 

No-wa-da-ga creek, was defined forme Creek of mud turtles, 
and In-cha-nan-do, another name, as Fish under water. On an 
early map it is Can o-we-da-ge creek. 

Mo-hawk is an eastern name for Bear, of which more will be 
said. 



INDIAN NAMES. 33 

Kou-a-ri was a name for Fort Herkimer about 1756, probably 
from 0-qua-ri, A I'ear. 

Ots-qua-go creek, Under a bridge. 

Wa-i-oat-ha, now Little Lakes. A name much like this ap- 
pears in Montgomery county, on an early map. 

Wa-co-ni-na, was interpreted for me as There used to be a bridge. 
Little Lakes, on the map of New York grants. 

Tal-a-que-ga, Small bushes. Little Falls. Several local 
names ai)pear here, of which Cusick gave me definitions. 

As-to-ren-ga, On the stone. Hills at Little Falls. As-to-ro-gan 
or As-ten-ro-gen, Place of rocks., has also been interpreted Rock 
in the water., and Under the rock. In the last case it is applied 
to a rock at the foot of the falls, but generally it is a name for 
the whole place. 

Da-ya-hoo-wa-quat, Carryi?ig place, or more exactly Where 
the boat is lifted, applied to the river above the falls. 

Hon-ne-da-ga lake, formerly Jock's lake. 

Can-ach-a-ga-la, One sided kettle. A recent clearing between 
Moose and Woodhull lakes, and also a noted spring-hole. 

Rax-e-cloth, referring to a boy, raxaa. A creek in Schuyler. 

Ka-hek-a-nun-da, Hill of berries, in the town of Mohawk. 

Ohio and Chepachet are introduced names. 

Ne-ha-sa-ne Park, Crossing on a stick of timber. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

Et-cat-ar-a-gar en-re, Sandy creek, 1755. In 1687 it was written 
Cat-ar-gar-en-re, Cat a-ga-ren, and Cad-rang-hi-e. A. Cusick 
gave me the meaning as Afud raised like a chitnney, but slanting 
to one side. There were many prehistoric forts near its banks, 
Te-ka da-o ga-he is another name, perhaps but another form of 
those above, and meaning Sloping banks. This name might re- 
fer to the banks of the stream, or to the unequal slope of an 
earthwork, on the outside of which was a deep ditch. 



34 INDIAN NAMES. 

Te-can-an-ou-ar-on-e-si, the south branch of this creek, where, 
according to Pouchot, the Iroquois said they came out of the 
ground. The definition given me was A long time ago this 
S7iiamp was divided. It is every way probable that the Ononda- 
gas first Uved in this county. 

Out-en es-son-e-ta, an early name for a stream north of Sandy 
creek, and in the town of Henderson. It is on Pouchot's map, 
and A. Cusick says it means Where the Iroquois League began to 
form. This would probably make the first conception of union 
one originating among the Onondagas, and before their removal 
to their later territory. The interpretation is interesting as har- 
monizing with the tradition attached to a neighboring stream. 

Ge-nen-to-ta, or Ga-nen-tou-ta, appears on several early maps 
as the Assumption river, apparently Stony creek. The same in- 
terpreter renders it Pities standing up. 

The various names of Chaumont bay are somewhat perplex, 
ing. On early maps it appears as Ni-a-ou-re, Ni-a-wer-ne, with 
other forms, and at last as Ni-ver-nois bay. The last of these of 
course refers to the Due de Nivernois, but the earlier French 
usage would seem to favor its being originally an Iroquois name. 
Ka-hen-gou-et-ta is another name, which A. Cusick defines as 
meaning Where they smoked tobacco. 

At-en-ha-ra-kweh-ta-re, Place where the fence or wall fell down^ 
is the French creek at Clayton. Wet-er-ingh-ra-guen-te-re, 
Fallen fort, is the same name, referring to an Oneida tradition 
of a fort which they destroyed there. 

Ka-hu-ah-go, Great or wide river. Black river. Ni-ka-hi-on- 
ha-ko-wa. Pig river, is the same. It also has the name of Pee- 
tee-wee-mow-gues-e-po. 

Ga-hu-a-go-jet-wa-da-a-lote, Fort at the mouth of the great river^ 
is the name of Sacket's Harbor, from the Jefferson bairacks. 

Onon-to-hen, A hill with the same river on each side. Ox- 
bow, at a bend of the Oswegatchie. 



INDIAN NAMES. 35 

KINGS COUNTY. 
Ca-nar-sie, after an Indian tribe. 
Me-rey-cha-wick, Sixndy place. Brooklyn. 

LEWIS COUNTY. 

Os-we-gatch-ie, Black river. 

Ta-ka-hun-di-an-tlo, Clearing an opening. Moose river. 

Da-ween-net, Otter. Otter creek. 

Ga ne-ga-to-do, Corn pounder, T)ttv rW ex. It is also called 

Oie-ka-ront-ne, or Trout river. 

Ne-ha-sa-ne, Crossing on a stick of timber. Beaver river. 

Os-ce-o-Ia is called after the celebrated Seminole chief. 

LIVINGSTON COUNTY. 

At first the Senecas lived mostly in Ontario county, but after 
the overthrow of the Eries they gradually began to occupy the 
Genesee valley, though they had no forts there until the eight- 
eenth centurv. As usual, the villages were moved from place to 
place, but often retained their names. The various journals of 
Sullivan's camjjaign, in 1779, preserve the names of Seneca 
towns in many forms, for some places had several titles at the 
same time. 

Ga-ne-a-sos, Place of nanny berries, according to Morgan, is 
Coneeus creek. This is a local name for l'iburnu?n nudum, and 
I have also received the definition of Long strings of berries. 
Besides Kan-agh-sas, the village was termed Ad-jus-te, York- 
jough, and Yox-?aw, in 1779, and was also called On-is-ta-de by 
Pouchot. 

Ga-nu?-ga-go, Among the milk-weeds. Canaseraga creek. 
Kanuskago was also an early name of a Seneca town at Dans- 
ville. 

Can-a-se ra ga. Among th€ slippery elms. Morgan here gives 
quite a different meaning from the one 'he assigns to the same 



36 INDIAN NAMES. 

name in Madison county, but a slight change of sound will often 
materially alter the sense. 

Ko-ho-se-ra-ghe, an early Seneca village, seems the same, but 
it appeared elsewhere in 1687, as would be expected. 

O-neh-Aa., Hemlocks, is Hemlock lake. In a journal of 1779, 
the name of " Konyouyhyough, Narrow gutt," seems applied 
to this lake. 

O-ha-di, Trees burned, is Geneseo. The name of Gen-e-se-o,' 
or Che-n US-si o in an early form, Beautiful valley, also belongs to 
this place. 

Gen-e-see, a Seneca village west of the river, was Little Beard's 

town. It was also called De-o-nun-da-gaa, Where the hill is near. 

In 1754 it was called Che-non-da-nah, and Che-nan-do-an-es 

twenty years later. It was the largest Genesee village of the 

Senecas, and seems identical with the Sin-non-do-wae-ne of 1720. 

Another form is Dyu-non-dah-ga-seh, interpreted Steep hill creek. 

So-no-jo-wau-ga, Big kettle, was at Mount Morris, and was 

called after a noted Seneca warrior who made his home there. 

This is Morgan's note. In Doty's History of Livingston the 

name is said to have come from a very large copper ketde, 

brought here by the first settlers for distilling purposes, and 

which called forth the admiration of the remaining Indians. The 

village was at first known as Allen's Hill. 

De-o-de-sote, The spring. Livonia. 

Gan-noun-a-ta, sometimes called by the name just given, was 
in Avon, two miles north of Livonia. 

'^\2.-\\2s^-%2.-o. Once a lo7ig creek. Lima. Another form slight- 
ly differs from this. 

Go-no-wau-ges, or Can-a-wau gus, Fetid water, is a name for 
Avon Springs, referring to the sulphur springs, and thence given 
to the country around. 

De-o-na-ga-no, Cold water. Caledonia. These springs were 
well known to the Iroquois. 



INDIAN NAMES. 37 

Near the Caledonia springs calcareous tufa is so abundant as 
to be used in making fences, and a church in a neighboring vil- 
is built of travertine. The Rev. Mr. Kirkland took notice of 
this in 1788, speaking of "the magic spring so denominated by 
the Indians becaused its water was said to petrify almost every- 
thing that obstructed its current. A pagan tradition prevailed, 
of an evil spirit having resided here in former times, bellowing 
with a horrid noise, and ejecting balls of liquid fire. The spring 
emptied into the Genesee, and its fountain was about three 
miles north of Kanawageas." It may have been the "Negateca 
fontaine," appearing on a map of 1680, a possible derivative 
from Wahetkea, anything evil, though this may have applied to 
Avon as well. 

Gan-ea-di-ya, Small clear lake. Caledonia big spring. 

Na-gan-oose, Clear ri/niiiiig 7ciater, is the outlet of the spring. 

Ga-neh-da-ont-weh, JVliere. lienilock 7vas spilled. Moscow. 

Co-sha-qua or Ke-sha-qua creek. This seems the same as the 
next, being a tributary of the Canaseraga. 

Gaw-she-gweh-oh, A spear., and thence a rattlesnake. A vil- 
lage site near Williamsburgh. Casawavalatetah, Gaghchegwala- 
hale, Kasawasahya, etc., are some of the many forms given in 
Sullivan's campaign. 

Hon-e-oye creek. Finger lying. The lake and town are in 
Ontario county, but the name may be noticed here, because 
that of the creek. The village gradually moved westward, and 
was known as On-agh-e, An-ya-ye, An-ja-gen, etc. It was named 
from a trivial incident, but the title was maintained. 

Tus-ca-ro-ra, Shirt-wearers. An Indian village. 

Nun-da, Hilly., or 0-non-da-oh, Where fnany hills come to- 
gether. 

Squa-kie Hill, near Mount Morris, after the Squatch-e-gas who 
lived there, supposed by some to be a remnant of the Kah-kwahs 
or Eries. In Cusick's history their name is Squawkihows. The 



38 INDIAN NAMES. 

place has other names, and one of these is Da-ya-it-ga-o, which 
Morgan interprets Where the river comes out of the hills, from 
the river's leaving its rocky banks and entering the broad and 
beautiful valley of the Genesee. Another writer interprets it 
differently, but with the same idea. Where the valley pendens. 

Hach-ni-age, a Seneca town of 1750. A. Cusick defined this 
as A man did bravely. 

0-ha-gi, Crowding the banks. A Tuscarora village which may 
have been the next, as the Tuscaroras and Oneidas lived much 
together, but it was on the west side of the river. 

Dyu-hah-gaih, The stream devours it; i. e., the bank. Oneida 
village on the east side of the Genesee river in 1779. 

De-o-wes-ta, a neck of land below Portageville. 

Gah-ni-gah dot. The pestle stands there. A recent village near 
East Avon. 

Young-haugh, open woods eleven miles west of Honeoye in 
1779. 

Besides the above, Pouchot gives Con-nect-si-o, which may be 
Genesee, Kan-va-gen, and Ka-nons-ke-gon. Tlie last has been 
interpreted for me as Empty house. 

MADISON COUNTY. 

Chu-de-nang, Where the sun shines out., according to Morgan. 
Chittenango creek. Others, however, have defined it as Where 
the ivaters divide and run north, which is really without any true 
meaning. On a map of 1825 it is called Chit-e-ning.and in land 
treaties Chit-i-lin-go creek. A. Cusick thinks this means Marshy 
place, the stream passing for many miles through low lands be- 
fore it reaches the lake. After the TuFcaroras came into Mad- 
ison county it was sometimes called Tuscarora creek, from them- 
In 1767 Sir William Johnson said, "I met the Indians at the 
Tuscarora creek, in Oneida lake." The Indians now know it as 
O-wah-ge-nah, or Perch creek. 



INDIAN NAMES. 39 

Scan-i-a-do-ris, Long lake. A small lake in the eastern part 
of the county, near Oneida creek and mentioned in an early 
treaty. This seems the Skonyatales lake mentioned by D, 
Cusick, where the mammoth bear and water Hon fought. 

Sgan-a-te-es, a Tuscarora town of 1750, may have been on 
this lake. A frequent name with the same meaning. 

Ov-ir-ka creek, the outlet of this lake, which had two branches. 

O-hi-o-ke-a, Place of fruit. An early village mentioned by D. 
Cusick, west of Oneida creek. The earliest Oneida village 
seems to have been in that direction. 

Can-a-se-ra-ga,. Several strings of beads., with one strifig lying 
across. Canaseraga. Thus given by Morgan and Sevier, and 
recently approved, but it has been interpreted Big elkhorn. 
Kan-agh-se-ra-gy was the Tuscarora castle of 1756. On old 
maps the creek appears as Can-as-sa-de-ra-ga. 

Ah-wa-gee, Perch lake. Cazenovia lake. Also rendered Ho- 
wah-ge-neh, Where the yelloiv perch sivim. 

Kan-e-to-ta, Pine tree standing alone. Canastota. The On- 

ondagas, however, know the place as Kan-os-ta, the Frame of a 

house, from their admiration of the first one built there. A 

swamp north of the village was called still ^uater by the Indians, 

and another definition of Canastota has been made from this, as 

though it were Kniste, A group of pines and stota, standing still. 

The following ^.tatement occurs in the History of Madison 

county, by Mrs. L. M. Hammond. "Captain Perkins repaired 

one of the block houses, which stood on an eminence near 

where Dr. Jarvis now lives, built on an addition, and moved in 

* * * Not far from Capt Perkins' house stood the cluster of 

pines, from which, it is said, Canastota derived its name." 

Co-was-e-lon creek, Bushes hanging orer the water. 

Otselic creek has been translated a Capful, but doubtfully. 

On-ei-da, People of the stone, from the Oneida Stone and their 

representative sign. Some render it the Statiding stone. The 



40 INDIAN NAMES. 

early homes of the nation were in this county, and here they 
hospitably received the Stockbridges and Tuscaroras. There 
were several of these emblematic stones. 

Gan-o-a-lo-hale, Head on a pole. Oneida Castle. This fa- 
vorite name has been applied to Oneida lake, and varies much 
in spelling. 

Te-thir-o-guen, an early name of Oneida lake will have far- 
ther attention. Goi-en-ho, another early name, has been de- 
fined for me as Crossing place., either alluding to the ford at 
Brewerton, or the crossing on the ice. 

Cham plain crossed at Brewerton in 1615, Fathes LeMoyne in 
1654, and two others the following year, one of whom passed 
Oneida lake on the ice, on his return to Canada in the spring of 
1656. Both were customary crossings according to the season 
of the year. 

Ne-wa-gegh-koo, an old name of the bay at the south-east 
angle of Oneida lake. Interpreted for me as Where I ate heart- 
ily; a good name for a pleasure resort. 

K-on-ta.-g\\-\or\, Brook of the pointed rocks. Fish creek. 

Can-a-das-se-o-a, an early village east of Canaseraga, and on a 
stream midway on the south side of Oneida lake. Cusick in- 
terpreted this as a Village spread out as though daubed on, some- 
what as butter is spread on bread. 

Da-ude-no-sa-gwa-nose, Round house. Hamilton. 

She-wa-is-la, Point made by bushes. Lenox, 

Ah-gote-sa-ga-nage, village of Stockbridges. 

Besides the above Zeisberger mentioned the Tuscarora villages 
of An-a-jot, Ti och-rung-we, and Gan-a-tis-go-a, the last of which 
may be rendered Large or long village; if it does not prove to be 
Can-a-das-se-o-a, as seems probable. 

MONROE COUNTY. 

I-ron-de-quoit bay is variously spelled and interpreted. In 
Onondaga it is Che-o-ron-tak. Morgan gives it as Neo-da-on-da- 



INDIAN NAMES. 4I 

quat, A bay. Kan-i-a-ta-ron-to-quat, Opening into the lake, is 
quite literal. Spafford, in his gazetteer, perhaps mistook a name 
of Toronto for this, and made it Te-o-ron-to, Where the waves 
die. Early variations are many in number and Charlevoix called 
it the bay of the Tson-nont-houans, or Senecas. He described 
it as a beautiful place. In a journal of 1759 it appears as Ni 
denindequeat. 

Ga-sko-sa-go, y^///;^/(7//j-. Rochester. Ga-skon-chi-a-gon, was 
a frequent early name for the Genesee, or Little Seneca river, in 
allusion to the falls, the same name bemg given to Oswego Falls. 
From this is derived Tsi-nont-chi-ou-ag-on, applied to the 
mouth of the river on early maps. Charlevoix described the 
lower part of the river in 172 1, and regretted that he knew noth- 
ing of the falls until he had passed the place. " This river is 
called Cas-con-chi-a-gon, and is very narrow and shallow at its 
discharge into the lake. A little higher it is 240 feet in breadth, 
and it is affirmed that there is water to float the largest ships. 
Two leagues (French) from its mouth you are stopped by a fall, 
which seems to be about sixty feet high, and 240 feet broad; a 
musket shot above this you find a second of the same breadth, 
but not so high by a third ; a:id half a league higher still a third, 
which is full a hundred feet high, and 360 feet broad." 

Je-don-da-go was a place somewhere on the lake east of Iron- 
dequoit bay. 

Go-do-ke-na, Place of miiinoivs. Salmon creek. 

0-neh-chi-geh, Long ago. Sandy creek. 

Sko-sa-is-to, Rebounding falls. Honeoye falls. While Mor- 
gan applies this name to Honeoye Falls. Mr. George H. Harris 
assigns essentiaUy the same term, Sgo-sa is-thah. Where the 
swell dashes against the precipice, to a rift on Irondequoit creek, 
above the dugway mills. It may very well belong to both places. 
I follow his division of syllables, as he is well versed in Seneca 
usages, but the Onondagas do not unite the th. 



42 INDIAN NAMES. 

Gin-is-a-ga was an early name for Allen's creek. Allen was 
a noted and unscrupulous man who lived among the Senecas at 
and before the white settlement. 

0-hu-de-a-ra, a Seneca name for Lake Ontario. 

Gweh-ta-ane-te-car-nun-do-teh, Red village. Brockport. 

Ne-a-ga Wa-ag-wen-ne-yu, Footpath to Niagara, or Ontario 
trail. 

Da-yo-de-hok-to, A betided streatn, is the same as the early 
village of To-ti-ak-ton, or The-o-de-hac-to, in 1677, in the town 
of Mendon. 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 

Albert Cusick interpreted Ga-ro-ga creek as Creek on this 
side. At one time there were no Mohawk villages west of this. 

Chuc-te-nun-da creek has been erroneously mterpreted Twin 
sisters. Mr. Pearson defined it Stone houses, in allusion to the 
sheltering cliffs , but the meaning given to me was simply Stony. 

Co-wil-li-ga creek, Willo7i' creek. 

Te-on-de-lo-ga, or I-con-de-ro-ga, Two streams coming together. 
Also Ti-on-on-do-ra-ge, and various other forms. Mohawk river 
at Schoharie creek and Fort Hunter. Also called Og-sa-da-ga. 

Ju-ta-la-ga, Amsterdam creek. 

Os-seu-nen-on, or O-ne-on-gon-re, early site of the eastern- 
most Mohawk castle. 

Ogh-rac-kie, Aunes' creek. 

Co-daugh-ri-ty, Steep banks., or wall. A land-slide on Scho- 
harie creek, called Ca-da-re-die in 1779. 

Ots-qua-ga creek, Under the bridge. 

Ots-que-ne, tributary to the last. 

Ots-tun-go, another tributary. 

Tz.-Tdi-)or'\i\tf^, Hill 0/ health. Site of an Indian village just 
east of Fort Plain, called also Ta-re gi-o-ren, in 1726, after its 
chief, being the same name already given. At one time this 
was the Indian village of Canajoharie. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 43 

Twa-da-al-a-ha-la, Fort on a hill. Kort Plain. 

Da-den-os-ca-ra creek, or I)a-to-sca-re, Trees hewing excres- 
cences. 

Kan-a-da rank creek, Broad. 

Can-a-jo-ha-rie. Washing the basin., according to Morgan. The 
word, however, has reference to a kettle, and other definitions 
have been Kettle shaped hole in the rocks. Pot that washes itself, 
alluding to a large pot-hole in the Canajoharie creek. Like 
othei Indian villages this town was removed from time to time, 
still retaining the name. Morgan located it at Fort Plain, but 
said that one would naturally have expected to have found this 
village on Canajoharie creek. It really was just west of this 
creek at one time, as local antiquarians have abundant proofs. 
In 1677 Can-a-jor-ha was a village on the north side of the Mo- 
hawk, enclosed with a single stockade. 

Te-ko-ha-ra-wa, means a Valley, as interpreted for me, and is 
applied to a tributary of Canajoharie creek, and sometimes to 
the stream itself. 

An-da-ra-gue was an early Mohawk village, and most of their 
towns had several names. 

De-kan-a-ge, another early village, defined for me as Where I 
live, may be tlie next. 

Te-non-at-che. Fhnving through a mountain, which is Uavid 
Cusicks interpretation. He assigns it to the Mohawk river, in 
giving an account of the settlement of the Five Nations. 

Mo-hawk, or Ma-qua, A bear. This is not an Iroquois name, 
though borne by one of the nations. In 1676 this nation was 
mentioned as " Maugwa-wogs, or Mohawks, i. e. man-eaters." A 
later writer supposes it to be Mvskrat river., but he also more 
properly derives it from vioho, to eat, and makes it Cannibal 
river. The nation was certainly quite fond of human flesh. The 
French called them Ag-ni-ers, but their name was Can-ni-un-ga-es, 
Fcssessors of the flint. They were the first to use guns, and 



44 INDIAN NAMES. 

gathered flints on Lake Champlain to be used in striking fire. 
Their sign was the flint and steel, and they usually drew the lat- 
ter as the national totem. 

Con-ne-o-ga-ha-ka-lon-on-i-ta-de, another name for the Mo- 
hawk river. The first part sounds like the name of the nation, 
but A. Cusick was quite sure it meant a Small continuing sky, 
perhaps in allusion to the glimpses of the heavens aff"orded by 
the reflections in the water. 

Tu-ech-tona, a creek south of Amsterdam. 

Tingh-to-nan-an-da, a creek east of the same place. 

Schan-a-tis-sa, a village near the middle Mohawk castle, on 
a map of 1655. The interpretation given me was rather odd. 
Little long short village, but in the Indian way of speaking this 
might be rendered, "Not a very long, in fact a very short village." 

Cung-stagh-rat-han-kre, Creek that never runs dr}\ at Stone 
Arabia, 1753. 

Tha-yen-dak-hi-ke, a cliff on the Mohawk, near the Nose. 

Et-a-gra-gon, a rock on the south bank of the river. 

0-na-we-dake, a great flat on the south side. 

Was-cont-ha appears on the map of N. Y. grants, south-east 
of Canajoharie, and seems the same name as that given by 
French for Little Lakes, Wa-ri-cont-ha. It means /^i-Z/y. 

Ki-na-qua-ri-o-nes, She arrowmaker. " Where the Last Battle 
was between the Mohawks and the North (river) Indians," men- 
tioned in the Schenectady grant of 1672. Gen. J. S. Clark 
says this " is the steep rocky hill on the north side of the Mo- 
hawk river, just above Hoffman's Ferry. * * The ancient 
aboriginal name is still preserved in the contracted form of To- 
we-re-ou-ne." This battle was in 1669, after the unsuccessful 
Mohegan attack on Gan-da-oua-gue. Pearson gives two other 
forms of the name, and the three vary in sex or person, accord- 
ing to Albert Cusick. 



INDIAN NAMES. 45 

Hin-ciua-ri-o-nes is He arrowmaker, and Can-a-qua-ri-o-ney is 
I arrow maker, as though the one or the other dwelt there. 

Caugh-na-wa-ga, or Gan-da-oua-gue, On the rapids. Fonda. 
A frequent name, here given to one of the Mohawk castles. It 
has been erroneously rendered Stone in the laater, perhaps from 
the location of the town on the stream next mentioned. 

Ca-ya-dut-ta, or Can-i-a-dut-ta, Stone standing out of the laater. 

Besides other villages mentioned already, Ca-ha-ni-a-ga and 
Ti-on-on-do-gue, double stockaded towns, and Ca-na-go-ra, a 
single stockade, were on the north side of the river in 1677. 
On-eu-gi-ou-re, or Os-ser-ue-non, were among the names of one 
town in 1645. Megapolensis, in 1644, assigns As-ser-ue, the 
same as the last, to the Turtle clan. The Bear clan occupied 
Ba-na-gi-ro, undoubtedly an erroneous rendering of Canagora. 
The Wolf clan, derived from the Bear, dwelt at The-non-di-o-go. 
The Mohawk villages varied much m number, and their situation 
was often changed. There were no villages in their home ter- 
ritory until about the end of the sixteenth century. 

NEW YORK COUNTY. 

Man-hat-tan, The is/and, on which New York city is built. 
Probably from the Delaware word Man-a-tey, an is/and. Hec- 
kewelder could not find that there was ever a nation of this 
name, and concluded that the island still called Man-a-hat-ta-ni 
by the Delawares, was inhabited by them. DeLaet, however, 
in 1625, said that the Manatthans were a wicked nation, and 
deadly enemies of the Sankikani, who lived opposite, on the 
west shore of the river. Other early writers take notice of them. 
The Monseys also called the site of the city La-ap-ha-wach-king, 
Plaee of stringing ivanipum beads. Heckewelder observes that 
"• They say this name was given in consequence of the distribu- 
tion of beads among them by Europeans, and that after the 
European vessel returned, wherever one looked, the Indians 



46 INDIAN NAMES. 

were seen stringing beads and wampum the whites gave them. 

The same author also gives to New York the name of Mana- 
hat-ta-nink, Place of general intoxication, from a great carousal 
there in early days. 

By way of variety part of Washington Irving's observations 
may be quoted, "The name most current at the present day, and 
which is likewise countenanced by the great historian Vander- 
Donck, is Manhattan; which is said to have originated in a cus- 
tom among the squaws, in the early settlement of wearing men's 
hats, as is still done among many tribes. ' Hence,' as we are 
told by an old governor, who was somewhat of a wag, and flour- 
ished almost a century since, and had paid a visit to the wits of 
Philadelphia, -hence arose the appellation of man-hat-on, first 
given to the Indians, and afterwards to the island' — a stupid 
joke! — but well enough for a governor. * * * There is an- 
other, founded on still more ancient and indisputable authority, 
which I particularly delight in, seemg it is at once poetical, me- 
lodious, and significant, and this is recorded in the before-men- 
tioned voyage of the great Hudson, written by master Juet; who 
clearly and correctly calls it Manna-hatta, that is to say, the is- 
land of Manna, or in other words, 'a land flowing with milk and 
honey.' " 

The Sankhicanni, before mentioned, were the Fire workers. 
The name of Tam-ma-ny has become local in New York, in a 
sense, and can hardly be omitted. He was an early and em- 
inent Delaware chief, so virtuous that " his countrymen could 
only account for the perfections they ascribe to him by suppos- 
ing him to be favored with the special communications of the 
Great Spirit." More than a century ago he was greatly admired 
by the whites, and they conferred on him the title of St. Tam- 
many, keeping his festival on the first of May. The Philadelphia 
society wore buck-tails in their hats, and went to the wigwam on 
that day, where the calumet was smoked, and speeches and dan- 



INDIAN NAMES. 47 

ces followed. Out of all those formed the New York society 
alone survives, Heckewelder says that most of the stories about 
him were made up by the whites. 

Min-na-hau-ock, At the island. Blackwell's island. 

Ka-no-no is the Onondaga name for New York, but the mean- 
ing has been lost, and it is applied to the city only. 

0-jik-ha-da-ge-ga, Salt ivater. Atlantic ocean. 

Hoboken, said to mean Sytioke pipe, or tobacco pipe, may be 
noted here, but Zeisberger defines Ho-po-a-can, as Pipe or flute, 
and gives quite a different word for tobacco pipe. In the New 
England dialects, however, Hopuonk meant a pipe, or pipes and 
tobacco. 

Wee-haw-ken has been called Maize land, but the translation 
may not be sound. 

NIAGARA COUNTY. 

Though recently in possession of the Senecas this county was 
originally part of the territory of the Neutrals, who had three 
villages east of the river in 1626, most of their towns being in 
Canada. They called themselves Akouanke, but the Hurons 
termed them Attiwandaronk, A people zvith a speech a little dif- 
ferent from their own. They were destroyed by the Iroquois im- 
mediately after the Huron war. In 1640 they had a village at the 
mouth of the Niagara river called On-gui-a-ah-ra, and they gave 
the river the same name. The variations of this are many. Ni- 
a-ga-ra means A neck, and has no relation to the cataract. It 
was written O-ne-i-gra and 0-ni-a-go-rah in 1687. The Tusca- 
roras call Lewiston, Ne-ah-ga. The carrying place was formerly 
called Ja-ga-ra, or On-ja-ga-ra. Sometimes it had the name of 
Och-swee-ge. 

O-ne-a-ka, A neck. The mouth of the river. 

Ga-sko-sa-da, The falls ; V)3iiG-ca.r-sko-sa.?,e, Highest falls ; Kas- 
sko-so-wah-nah. Great fall, are all apphed to the cataract. 

Ca-ha-qua-ragh-e was a name applied to the upper part of the 



48 INDIAN NAMES. 

river, in 1726, and A. Cusick thinks it means the Neck just ii}ider 
the chin. This is the same as D. Cusick's name for Lake Erie, 
interpreted a cap. It appears as A-qua-ra-ge in 1687. 

Shaw-nee, Southern people., is the name of an early nation 
which has been apphed to a hamlet. They were once subject 
to the Iroquois. 

Date-ge-a-de-ha-na-geh, Two creeks njear together. Eighteen 
mile creek. 

Te-car-na-ga-ge, Black creek, the east branch of the Tuscaro- 
ra creek. 

De-yo-wuh-yeh, Among the reeds. West branch of the Tus- 
carora creek. 

0-yon-wa-yea, or 0-non-wa-yea, Johnson's creek. A. Cusick 
called it 0-yong-wong yeh, and thought it meant Something sunk 
to the bottom of the water. This might allude to somethmg done 
at the siege of Fort Niagara. 

A-jo-yok-ta, Fishing creek. This is Morgan's name for the 
same stream. The British army landed here in 1759 

De-o-do-sote, The spring, referring to the Cold Spring two 
miles north-east of Lockport. Morgan gives this, but adds De- 
o-na-ga-no as the name of the spring, and Ta-ga-ote as that of 
Lockport. There is often quite a difference in his list and 
itinerary. 

Kah-ha-neu-ka, or Ki-en-u-ka, Where the cannon point dojvn, 
as given me. David Cusick describes the fort as existing under 
"this name about 800 years ago. A supposed old fort on the 
rocks on the Tuscarora reservation. Turner defines Kiennka as 
Fort with a fine vie7v, and it may have been derived from Gaano- 
geh, mentioned below. 

CyVf3i-\X'gv{eh, Place 0/ taking out Ifoats. Carrying place at the 
falls. 

Duh-jih-heh-oh, Walking on all fonrs. Levviston Heights, in 
allusion to carrying burdens up the ledge, at the old portage. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 49 

Te-ka-on-do-duk, Flace 7vith a sign post. Middleport. 

O-gea-wa-te-kae, Place of the luitteniiif. Royalton Centre. 

Ga-a-no-geh, On the Afoinitaiiis. Tuscaiora village near Levv- 
iston. 

Hate-keh-neet-ga-on-da. Golden Hill creek. 

Chu-nu-tah, Where the 7vater conies and overflows all., as given 
me by A. Cusick. Bloody lane. 

Qc2.-oy^i\\-^o-^2ia}L\ Big canoe island. Navy island, so called 
from the early French ship buildmg there. 

Ti-yan-a-ga-run-te. A. Cusick interpreted this Where she threw 
a stick at nie. A river next east of Johnson's Harl)or, perhaps 
Six Mile creek. 

Dyus-da-nyah-goh, Cleft rocks. Devil's Hole and Bloody 
Run. 

Dyu-no-wa-da-se, The cnrrent goes ronnd. Whirlpool. 

Ouar-o-ro-non, the last village of the Neutrals, which was one 
day from the Iroquois in 1626. A. Cusick interpreted this A 
separate people^ for^it was really an Indian nation. 

Ou-non-tisas ton. I)e la Roche's residence in 1626. On the 
same authority I render this The thing that made the hill high. 

Near by, on the Canada i-hore, Chippewa creek was called 
Jo-no-dak, Shalloio icater. Pouchot called it Che-non-dac, and 
it had its present name from the Ojil)wa}s, or Mississaugas, who 
lived there. 

ONEIDA COUNTY. 

Ta-ga-soke, Forked like a spear. Fish creek. 

Te-ge-so-ken, Between ttvo jnoiiths. Really the same name, 
and applied to the same stream. 

On-ey-da river, an early name of this creek. The meaning 
has been already given. 

A-on-tagil-lon, Creek at the point of rocks. Another name of 
the same. 



53 INDIAN NAMfc:S. 

On-ei-yu-ta, Sfa tiding stone. Oneida. It was often spelled 
On-ei-out at an early day. With ang added, it properly means 
People of the stone. The council name of the nation was some- 
times applied to the principal village, and in this way it appear- 
ed as Ni-harun-ta-quo-a in 1743. In general Oneida is best de- 
fined as simply a stone, referring to the one around which the 
nation first grouped itself, the idea of standing being added when 
a smaller stone became its emblem. 

Skan-an-do-wa creek, Great hemlock, after the old Oneida 
chief Skenandoah, the friend of Kirkland. He pathetically said, 
in allusion to his grey hairs, that he was an old hemlock, dead at 
the top. It is retained as a common family name. 
Skun-an-do-wa, Great hetnlock. Vernon Centre. 
Ska-nu-sunk, F/ace of the fox. Vernon. 
Te-ya-nun-so-ke, Beech tree standing. Nine mile creek. 
O-ris-ca, on early maps for Oriskany, has been interpreted 
Where there was a large field. On the other hand, Morgan calls 
it O-le-hisk, Nettles. A. Cusick told me it meant something 
growing large in the field, and thus might be applied to this 
weed. The Mohawk word for nettle is Oh-rhes. It is 0-chris- 
ke-ney creek on the map of 1790. 

Sau-quoit, or Sa-da-quoit creek, Smooth pebbles in a stream. 
It is Sa-dagh-que-da on the map just mentioned. 
Skan-o-wis, Long S7va?np. Sangerfield. 
Kan-go-dick, or Kan-e- go-dick, is Wood creek. 
Date-wa-sunt-ha-go, Great falls. Trenton Falls. These have 
also been called Kuy-a-ho-ra, defined as Slanting waters. 
Ho-sta-yun-twa. Camden. 

Nun da-da-sis, or U-nun-da-da-ges, Annind the hill. Utica. 
It was so called because of the peculiar way in which the great 
trail wound around the hill east of the city. 
One-te-a-dah-que, /// the bone. Trenton. 
Twa-dah-ah-lo-dah-que, Riiitis of a fort, given to Utica from 



INDIAN NAMES. 5 1 

the ruins of Fort Schuyler, of revolutionary days. 

The-ya-o-guin, U'/iite head. Mentioned iu French documents 
of 1748, and It may have been Rome, but possibly a little far- 
ther west. This was King Hendrick's name. 

0-je-en-rud-de, On t/ic other side of the fire^ was mentioned as 
the proposed site of a French fort, in 1700, on a branch of our 
(English) river. Tnis would be either the Mohawk or Hudson, 
but it was probably Ticonderoga, as the English governors' ideas 
of American geograpiiy were not always clear. 

Che-ga-quat-ka, Kidneys. Whitestown creek and New Hart- 
ford. 

Ga-nun-dag-lee, Hills shrunk together. Paris Hill. 

Ka-da-wis-dag, or Ka-de-wis-day, White field. Clinton. 

Te-o-na-tale, Pine forest. Verona. 

Da-ya-hoo-wa-quat, Carrying plaee. Rome. A Cusick, how- 
ever, distinguished between this and De-o-wa-in-sta, which is 
translated in the same way and appUed to the same place. The 
former is Lifting the boat ; the latter, Setting the boat down. In 
early days boats were carried from the Mohawk to Wood creek. 

Can-o-wa-rog-ha-re, Head on a pole. Oneida Castle, and 
sometimes apphed to the lake. Many forms of this will be found, 
and it was given to many villages, though the allusion is not 
clear. Kan-o-wa-lo-ha-le. 

De-ose la-ta-ga-at. Where the cars go fast. Oneida, after the 
opening of the railroad. This is not far from the modern Oneida 
castle, the nation originally living much farther south. 

Kun-yous-ka-ta, Foggy place, with suggestions of a rainbow, as 
given to me. White creek. 

Egh-wag-ny, a branch of the Unadilla, in this county, in 1701- 

Can-a-da creek. A. Cusick rendered this Kan-a-ta, Dark 
Iriwn tcatcr. It is capable of another interpretation in this 
form. 

Ilan-a^h ta-ra-cre-a-ra. Dean's creek. 



52 INDIAN NAMES. 

Ka-ny on-scot-ta, given me as Rainbo7v in a misty place. A 
branch of Oriskany creek, and perhaps identical with a name 
previously mentioned. 

ONONDAGA COUNTY. 

On-on-da-ga, People of the mouutain in its complete form 
The principal village always had this name, called by the French 
Onon-ta-e, or On-on-tah-que. Among .themselves the Ononda- 
gas use the broad a in the third and fourth syllables, but not in 
talking with whites. It was first used in the south-east part of 
the county about A. D. 1600, remaining near the Limestone 
creek for over seventy years, and then being transferred to a 
village on Butternut creek. Early in the i8th century it crossed 
over to the east side of Onondaga creek, and about 1750 it was 
estabhshed on the west side. The nation has occupied that 
valley less than two hundred years, and their pre?:ent home about 
a century. The Oneida and Oswego rivers weie once called by 
this name. A. Cusick gave me the name as On-on-dah-ka, Up 
on a hill. In 1743, the council name of the nation, Sa-gogh-sa- 
an a-gech-they ky, was applied to the village. 

Ga-nunt-a-ah, Material for council fire^ according to Morgan ; 
but A. Cusick interprets the early form of this, Ge-nen-ta-ha, 
as Near the village^ on a hill. Oh-nen-ta-ha is the present In- 
dian name of this, and Ka-ne-en-da the early Enghsh form for a 
village on the inlet. As applied to the principal village, it may 
be remarked that Onondaga was descriptive only of the earlier 
towns. 

Kotch-a-ka-too, Lake surrounded by salt springs, according to 
Clark. More exactly it is Ka-chik-ha-to. 

Te-ya-jik-ha do, Place of salt, applied to Salina, is the same. 

Nat-a-dunk, Broken pine 7vith drooping top, Syracuf:e. It was 
given me as Tu-na-ten-tonk, Hanging pine. Some have made it' 
Oh-na-ta-toonk, A?nong the pines, and used it for the vicinity of 
Syracuse and the mouth of the creek. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 53 

Kah-ya-hoo-neh, W/icrc the ditch full of router goes through; 
more correctly Ken-tue-ho-ne, A creek or river that has been 
made. Syracuse. The Indians pronounce the name of the city 
Sy-kuse. 

Skan-e at-eles, Long lake; in tlie Onondaga form Skan-e-a-ti- 
es ; not an uncommon name, but also given to much smaller 
lakes. In this case it comes from its river-like appearance as 
seen from some points. It has been erroneously asserted that 
it means beautiful stjuaic, and this may be persisted in, as it has 
long been in the past. A curious memorial of this conflict of 
opinion may be added, in the form of a statement procured by 
Mr. J. V. H. Clark, intended to settle the question, but which 
had little effect. It was made and subscribed by two Onondaga 
chiefs, and is as follows;. — 

"Our attention has been lately called to two or three articles 
in the Skaneateles Democrat of March 13th, 1862, which articles 
aver that the name of Skaneateles means ' Beautiful Squaw.' 
The authors made the statement, and persevere in it, from in- 
formation purporting to be derived from Indians many years ago. 
We would here distinctly state that we have never known among 
Indians the interpretation of Skaneateles to be 'Beautiful Squaw,' 
nor do we know of any tradition among the Onondagas, connect- 
ed with Skaneateles, that has any allusion to a ' Beautiful Squaw,' 
or 'Tall Virgin,' or any ' Female of graceful form.' The Onon- 
dagas know the lake by the name Skeh ne a-ties, which, Hterally 
rendered, is ' Long Water.' Nothing more or less. We have in- 
quired of several of our chief men and women, who say that it is 
the first time they have ever heard that Skaneateles meant ' Beau- 
tiful Squaw.' They, as well as ourselves, beheve such interpre- 
tation to be a fiction. 

Totowahganeo, (Henry Webster) 

Principal Chief Onondaga Nation. 
Honoeyahteh, (Capt. George) 

Prmcipal Chief Onondaga Nation. 

Onondaga Castle, March i8th, 1862." 

Kai-yahn-koo, Resting place., where they stop to smoke. Green 
lake near Kirkville, from its being a resting place between Onon- 



54 INDIAN NAMES. 

daga and Oneida Castle. Mr. Clark interpreted this Satis^ed 
with tobacco, and assigned it to Green pond west of Jamesville. 
He said the Indians made an offering of tobacco there. I give 
the name as the Indians now place it. 

Tue-yah-das-soo, Hemlock knots i/i the icater. This is the 
name now given by the Onondagas to the pond last mentioned 
above, and its propriety is evident on looking down from tlie 
edge of the cliff. The same name was given in 1743, to a small 
village a ievv miles south. Weiser called the village Ca-chi-a- 
dach-se, in 1743, and it was also known as Ti-a-tach-tont. It 
was about four miles east of the present council house. 

Te-a-une-sa-ta-yagh, is given simply as Deep spring, or Fort at 
deep sprifig, but there is no evidence of any fortification. It is 
also rendered De-o-sa-da-ya-ah, Deep basin spring. It has lost 
its beauty, but was a noted spot in early days, the water coming 
in on one side of a deep basin and passing out on the other. 

0-tis-co lake has many names, the nearest to the present form 
being Ots kah, which is equivalent to Us-te-ka, Bitter-nut hickor^' 
On a map of 1825 it is spelled Os-tis-co, which approaches the 
original. Morgan gives Ga-ah na, another name, as A drowning 
man rising and sinking. A. Cusick interpreted this as The last 
seen of anything, with somewhat of the same idea. The name 
of Kai-oongk has also been applied to it. 

Usteka, Bitter nut hickory, the name of Nine Mile creek, 
flowing from this lake. I also received the names of Kai-ehn- 
tah, Trees hanging over water, and T'ka-sent-tah, The tree that 
hangs over, or One treefailifig into another. The name of its 
estuary at Onondaga lake is Ki-a-heun-ta-ha. The present name 
of this beautiiul stream simply refers to its distance west of On- 
ondaga creek, and many New York streams were named in a 
similar way. 

T'kah-ne-a-da-hcr rer.h, Many lakes on a hill, was given me 
as the proper term for the Tully lakes. Teka-ne-a-da-he, Lake 



INDIAN NAMKS. 55 

on a hill, is the simplest form, but others vary shghtly. The In- 
dians place one Hiawatha story here, and one of the lake ser- 
pent, following the general tendency to locate traditions in fa- 
miliar places. 

0-nun-o-gese, Long hickory. Apulia. 

De-is-wa-ga-ha, Place of many ribs. Pompey. 

Ote-gega-ja-kee, A grassy place, hdiS also been applied to this, 
and Ote-queh-sah-he-eh, Field of blood, is said to have been an 
early name. A. Cusick did not know it by this name, but gave 
this the meanmg of Blood spilt. Applied also to Lafayette. The 
early Onondaga villages were in this town, but there were no 
early battles there. It had many open fields and cemeteries. 

De-o-wy-un-do, Wind mill. Pompey Hill, there having been 
one there in early days. It was defined for me more exactly, as 
Windy place, bemg very much exposed. I have seen monu- 
ments in the cemetery there swaying in a spring wind, when not 
made secure. 

O-ya-han, Apples split open. Camillus. 

Ka-no-wa-ya, Skull on a shelf. Elbridge. 

Ha-nan to, Small hemlock limbs on the 7vater, or more briefly 
Hemlock creek. Skaneateles creek. Clark called it Ha-naut too. 

U-neen-do, Hemlock tops lying on the water, the name of 
Cross lake according to Morgan. It is Yu-neen-do on Thur- 
ber's map. Clark calls it Te-ungk-too, and defines it Residence 
of the 7vise man, otherwise Hiawatha. A. Cusick, however, ren- 
dered it Teunen-to, meaning At the cedars, being just beyond 
a great cedar swamp. 

Ga-do-quat is an Oneida name for Brewerton, interpreted for 
me as I got out of the water, this being a well known fording place. 

Te wa-skoo-we-goo-na. Long bridge. Present name of Brew- 
erton. 

Goi en-ho was a name for Oneida lake in 1654, and perhaps 
for this spot, intei preted for me as Crossing place. Clark also 



56 INDIAN NAMES. 

calls it Oh-sa-hau-ny-tah-Se-ugh-kah, Where the waters niii out 
of Oneida lake. 

Tou-en-ho was a neighboring village in 1688. 

Among the early names for Oneida lake are Te-chir-o-guen, 
and Tsi-ro-qui, which are Mohawk forms of the Onondaga name. 
They have been defined as White water^ but erroneously, though 
with a reference to the true meaning. Clark gives the definition 
of the Onondaga name, Se ugh-ka, as Blue and white lines meet- 
ing and partings and refers this to such lines frequently seen on 
its surface. A. Cusick, however, called it Se-u-ka, String divided 
in two (by islands) and uniting again. On Thurber's map it is 
Ka no-a-lo-ka lake, a name derived from that of Oneida Castle. 
In a journal of Van Schaick's expedition it is called Oni-da-hogo, 
and in one old map it ap])ears as Ca-hung-hage lake. It was 
commonly known, however, by its present name, derived from 
the People of the stone. 

Se-u-ka Kah whanah-kee, Frenclnnan's Island, the latter wjrd 
meaning island. 

Se-u-ka Keh-hu wha-tah dea, Oneida river, the suffix meaning 
river. Clark calls it also Sah-eh. On Thurber's map it is 'I'a- 
gu-ne-da. 

Qui-e-hook, We spoke there, is mentioned as the creek flow- 
ing out of Oneida lake in 1700. 

Kach-na-ra-ge, or Ka-que-wa-gra-ge, was a ledge on this stream 
where it was proposed to build a fort in 1700. A. Cusick de- 
fined this as the Bed, or Bloody plaee. He gave the same mean- 
ing to Qua-quen-de-na, which appears on the map of 1779, be- 
tween Brewerton and Caughdenoy. It probably belongs to the 
latter place. In 1792 Ke-quan-de-ra-ga was said to be the only 
rapid in Oneida river. Probably named from the color of the 
banks. 

Ra-rag-hen-he, a place on the Oneida river in 1788, may come 



INDIAN NAMES. 57 

from the last, but Cusick tliought it meant Place la/iere he con- 
siiit'red. 

Te-yo-wis-o-don. Ice /laii^i^i/ii!; fro'/i t/ic trees, according to my 
informant. A place east of the last. 

Teu-ung-hu-ka, Afeeiiiig of the waters. Three River Point, 
according to Clark. I received it as Teu-tune-hoo-kah, Where 
the river forks. The i:)lace has had its present English name for 
nearly two centuries. 

Ga-no-wa-ya, Great swamp. Liverpool. 

T'kah-sk\vi-ut-ke, Where the stone stands up., referring to the 
high brick chimneys, as given me. 'I'his is a Seneca name for 
Liverpool. 

Tun-da-da-qua, Thrown but. According to Morgan a creek 
at Liverpool, but it may mean the excavation of the Onondaga 
outlet. 

So-hah-hee. for Onondaga outlet, is like a chiefs name which 
means Wearing a weapon in his belt. 

Ga-sun-to, Ka soongk-ta, or Ka-sonda, Bark in the ivater., is 
Butternut creek at Jamesville. It refers to the practice of plac- 
ing bark in the water there in the spring to soak, so that it might 
not curl when required for making cabins. The village of On- 
ondaga, which was burned in 1696, was just east of the reservoir. 

De-a-o-no-he, Where the creek suddenly rises. Limestone 
creek at Manlius. Clark calls it Te-a-une-nogh-he, with the 
same meaning, but also abbreviates it to ?nad ox angry stream. 

Ga-che-a-yo, Place offresh-ivater cray-Jish, locally known as 
crabs. The same stream at Fayetteville. 

Swe-no-ga, A holhnv. South Onondaga. This I had from 
Cusick, with many others in this county. Clark renders it Swe- 
nughkee. Cutting through a deep gulf, applying it to the west 
branch of Onondaga creek. The location and meaning are the 
same. 

Sta-a-ta, Coming from between two barren knolls. Clark gives 



56 INDIAN NAMES. 

this for the east branch. He also has Kah-yungk-wa-tah-toa for 

the whole stream, interpreted for me as A creek. Kun-da-qua, 

on Thurber's map, means the same. Heckewelder and Zeisber- 

ger called it Zi-noch-sa-a. Cusick told me this meant House on 

the bank, the Onondagas having gradually removed to the west 

bank of the creek by 1750, commencing the settlement a few 

years before. 

De-o-nake-hus-sink, IVever clean. Christian Hollow. 

Gis-twe-ah-na, Little man. Onondaga Valley, in allusion to 
the tradition that the friendly pigmies inhabit the ravine just 
west of the present village, but this I learned quite recently. 

Teu-a-heugh-wa, Where the path crosses the ?-oad, the name of 
Onondaga Valley according to Clark. Morgan renders it Te-o- 
ha-ha-hen wha, Turnpike across the valley ; and I received it as 
Tu-ha-han-wah, To the crossing road. 

Te-ga-che-qua-ne-on-ta, Hanwier hanging. Onondaga West 
Hill. Kah-che-qua-ne-ung-ta is the same, but the allusion is 
now forgotten. On Mitchell's map these hills appear as the Te- 
gerhunkserode mountains, but this name belongs a little farther 

west. 

Ta-gooch-sa-na-gech-ti appears as the name of the lower On- 
ondaga town in 1750, but this is the council name of the nation 
already mentioned. It may have had this, however, as being 
the place of the council-house. There were then two villages in 
the valley, and afterwards three. 

Nan ta-sa-sis. Going partly round a hill. According to Mor- 
gan a village three miles south of the castle, by which he may 
have meant the one occupied a century ago, though his map 
would place it near Cardiff. The name would be significant in 

either case. 

Ka-na-ta-go-wa, Large village, is now applied to the settle- 
ment around the council-house, or Kah-na-tah-koon-wah. 

Te-uh-swen-kien-took, Board hanging down. Castle Hotel, 
alluding to a swinging sign. 



INDIAN NAMES. 59 

Tah-te-nen-yo- nes, Place of making stone. Reservation quar- 
ries. 

Te-ka-wis-to-ta, Tinned dome. Lafayette village. 

Ka-na-sah-ka, Sandy place. Brighton. In the sand there were 
the foot-prints of Tarenyawagon and the great mosquito, for- 
merly frequently renewed. 

Ta-ko-a-yent-ha-qua, Place where they nsed to run. The old 
race course at Danforth. 

0-ser-i-gooch, a large lake in Tully, having this name in 1745. 

Ka-nugh-wa-ka, Where the rabbits run. Cicero swamp. 

Ka-na-wah-goon-wah, /// a big swamp, is another name for 
this. 

T'kah-koon-goon-da-nah-yeh, Eel lying do7vn. Caughdenoy^ 
in allusion to the fisheries there. 

Teu-nea-yahs go-na. Place of big stones. Geddes, where large 
stones were used for the canal. 

Ste-ha-hah, or Sta-ha-he, Stones in the water. Baldwinsville, 
in allusion to the rifts, or perhaps two huge bowlders in the river 
above the village. 

Kah-3ah-tak-ne-t'ke-tah-keh, Where the mosquito lies. Cen- 
terville, and connected with the story of the great mosquito. 

Ta-te-s:o-weh-nea-ha-qua, Where they made guns. Navarino. 

Ar-nou-i-o-gre, a place from which Lamberville dated a letter, 
giving Onondaga news, in 1684. 

The following are reservation names: 

Ku-na-tah, I J 'here the hemlock bushes gro7v, is near A. Cusick's 
house, the hemlocks being small there. 

T'kah-skoon-su-tah, To the falls., applied to the creek coming 
from the east, on which there are some pretty falls. 

T'kah-neh-sen-te-u, Stony place, or Stones thrown on the road, 
on the road to Cardiff. 

T'kah-nah-tah-kae-ye-hoo, At the old village, on the east side 
of the reservation. 



6o INDIAN NAMES. 

Ku-ste-ha, To the stony place, near William Printup's. 

Unimportant local names, like some of these, are frequent 
about all reservations, and many places have more than one 
name. Even among the Onondagas, however, some early names 
are now altogether forgotten. 

ONTARIO COUNTY. 

Father Hennepin twice mentions the meaning of the name 
applied to Ontario county, and which should have been given to 
one bordering on the lake. " The river of St. Lawrence derives 
its source from Lake Ontario, which is likewise called in the Iro- 
quois language, Skanadario, that is to Sdiy, very pretty lakeT Also, 
"The great river of St. Laurence, which I have often mentioned, 
runs through the middle of the Iroquois country, and makes a 
great lake there, which they call Ontario, viz: the beautiful lake.'''' 
It had other names to be noted elsewhere, but the Senecas some- 
times called it O-hu-de-a-ra, and in 1615 Cham plain termed it 
the lake of the Entouhonorons, whom he placed west of the Ir- 
oquois. "The Antouhonorons are 15 villages built in strong 
positions. * * * 'phe Yroquois and the Antouhonorons 
make war together against all the other nations, except the Neu- 
tral nation." They were thus probably the Senecas, who were 
the last to enter the Iroquois confederacy, and who may have 
even then been but loosely attached to it. Otherwise they 
would have been the Eries, but these were too far west. The 
Dutch gave the name of Senecas to all the Iroquois but the Mo- 
hawks. This name will be considered later. 

Son-nont-ou-ans, an early name of the Senecas, was often ap- 
plied by the French to their principal town. 

Can-a-dice, or Skan-e-a-tice, Long lake, is the same name as 
Skaneateles. The lakes to which this name was so often given, 
are not among the largest. They are simply long for their width, 
or by comparison with others near. 



INDIAN NAMES. 6 1 

Can-an-dai-gua, Place c/iose/i for a settlement^ has many forms, 
all easily identified. As its name implies it was not an early 
village. 

Ka-shong creek, on the west side of Seneca lake, was a place 
where successive villages existed, and the name varied. Gagh- 
sough-gwa is as near the present form as any. Gagh-congh-wa, 
another of these, is interpreted The limb has fallen. It was one 
of the villages burned in 1779- 

Hon-e-o-ye lake, Finger lying. This odd name may be re- 
cognized by its sound through many early forms. 

Honeoye outlet is O-neh-da, Hemlock^ from the trees along its 
course. 

Ga-o-sa-ga-o, /// the bassivood country., is applied to the town 
of Victor, with a more distinct meaning in the next. 

Gan-na-ga-ro was the principal Seneca village in 1677, and was 
situated on Boughton Hill in Victor. It was also called Gan- 
non-ga-rae. A. Cusick was hardly certain whether to call this 
She lived there., or Many animals. The French had other names 
for these villages. Te-ga-ran-di-es was another for this one. 

Ko-ha-se ragh-e and Ka-he-sa-ra-he-ra, Light on a hill, were 
names for the same place in 1691. Greenhalgh called it Cana- 
gora, which would mean the Great village. In 1847, Mr. O. H. 
Marshall had another name for the village site, which has been 
applied to Victor in general. It was given him by the Seneca 
chief Blacksnake, and was Ga-o-sa-eh-ga-aah. The dassicood bark 
lies there. According to the old chief the village was supplied 
by one fine spring on the hillside, and conductors of basswood 
bark brought the water to convenient points, the town being 
quite large. It was burned when De Nonville invaded the Sen- 
eca country, and was occupied a long time. 

Ga-nun-da-ah, Village on a hill. West Bloomfield. Most of 
the Seneca names and villages are quite recent. 

Ax a-quen-ta, Firestone creek, as given by Zeisberger, was the 



62 INDIAN NAMES. 

name of Flint creek. A. Cusick at first thought it meant A 
child lying down, but the Cayuga name for flint is Atrakwenda, 
and this fairly agrees with other forms of the name, as Ah-ta- 

gweh-da-ga. 

Jen nea-to-wa-ka, or To-na-kah, People of the large hill Fort 
Hill in Naples. Another form is Nun-da-wa-o, Great hill, ap- 
phed to the same place, where the Senecas said they had their 
origin. 

Ne-ga-te-ca was a spring in the Seneca country, according to 
an old map. It was not exactly laid down, and may have been 
the well-known burning spring; but there are other reasons for 
identifying it with the springs at Caledonia. I am inclined to 
think it the former. 

O-toch-shi-a-cho, a stream near Oun-a-chee, in 1750, was Fall 
Brook. 

Kan-a-de-sa-ga, or Ga-nun-da-sa-ga, near Geneva, was New 
settlement village. It was burned in 1779. Seneca lake was 
called by this name for some time. 

Ga-en-sa-ra was one name of the Seneca capital in 1687. 

Other towns mentioned by Greenhalgh were To ti-ak-ton or 
The-o-de-hac-to, meaning the Bended river ; Ca-na-en-da, and 
Ke-int-he, the latter meanmg a river. It was afterwards given 
to an Iroquois town on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and 
then transferred to the Bay of Quinte. 

The Seneca dialect is considered to be nearest akin to the 
Cayuga, as might be expected. The indications are that both 
these nations had dwelt longer in the Iroquois country than the 
three eastern nations, and that they were a different branch of 
the family, allied to the Fries and Neutrals, as their traditions 
affirmed. Their early separation from those near the St. Law- 
rence would account for their differing dialects, and there was 
nothing to bring them into contact with the others until the 
forming of the confederacy. This early separation may have 
occurred either at the eastern or western end of Lake Erie. 



INDIAN NAMES. 63 

ORANGE COUNTY. 

Cheese-cocks was the early name of a natural meadow. 

Ma-hack-e-meck was a name of the Neversink, which is an- 
other Indian name. It was also called Mag-gagh-ka-mi-sek in 
1694. 

Basher's kill is said to have been named after a squaw called 
Basha. She fell into the water under a deer she was bringing 
home, and was drowned. 

Quas-sa-ic creek derives its name from Qussuck, stone^ and 
ick, place^ and is properly rendered Stofie creek, or Place of the 
rock. 

Wa-wa-yan-da has only been interpreted in a half joking way 
as though it were broken English from an Indian looking out on 
the fine prospect, and saying "Away, way yonder." 

Mat-te-a-wan mountains. White rocks. Schun-e-munk moun- 
tain probably means the same. 

Pon-chunk mountain. 

Cush-i-e-tank mountains appear on a map of 1768. 

Pit-kis-ka-ker and Ai-a-skaw-os-ting were names for the high 
hills west of Murderer's kill. 

Mis-tuc-ky was an Indian village in Warwick. 

Sin-si-pink, a lake near West Point. 

Mm-i-sink has been interpreted Latid fro?n which the water 
has gone, which may be fanciful. 

Mon-gaup river was also called Mon-gaw-ping, etc. It means 
Several streams ivom its three branches. 

Other streams were Ramapo river, Potuck, Monwagan, and 
Paughcaughnanghsink creeks. 

ORLEANS COUNTY. 

Da-gea-no-ge-anut, T7V0 sticks cominir together. Oak Or- 
chard creek. 

De-o-wun-dak-no, Where boats 7vere burned. Albion. 
Date-geh-ho-seh, One string across another. Medina. 



64 INDIAN NAMES. 

OSWEGO COUNTY. 

0-s\ve-go, Osh-wa-kee, Swageh, are among the forms of a well- 
known name. It means Flowing out, or Stnall water fioiu'uig 
into that which is large. I'he name belongs to the river, but- 
was applied to the lake by the Onondagas, in which case it meant 
the lake at Oswego. J. V. H. Clark interpreted it "I see every- 
where and see nothing," a])plying it to the view, and connecting 
it with the story of Hiawatha. This definition will not stand. 
L. H. Morgan said it had ihis name throughout its descending 
course, but in ascending, the river was called by the name of the 
nation to which its various parts led. This seems to have been 
the case. The name was also applied to Lake Erie and the 
Grand river in Canada. The French sometimes spelled it O* 
choue-guen. Frontenac first mentioned the port of Oswego by 
the latter name in 1682, but Raffeix had thus termed the Sen- 
eca river, near Cayuga lake, in 1670. Le Moyne descended the 
river in 1654, but did not ascend it It was often called the 
river of the Onondagas. 

Lake of En-tou-ho-no-ron?. Cham])lain called Lake Ontario 
by this name in 1615, at which time lie landed at the mouth of 
Salmon river, and crossed the county to the foot of Oneida lake. 

Cat a-ra-qui, or Cc.d-a-ra-qui. Fort in the water, was a common 
name for the same lake, derived from Fort Frontenac at King- 
ston. This was long a French stronghold. 

Ne-at-a-want-ha is a name recently applied to Fish lake, a few 
rods west of Oswego Falls, and much above the river. A. Cu- 
sick interprets this as a Lake hiding from the river, which is cer- 
tainly appropriate. 

Caugh-de-noy, Eel lying do7vn, according to the same author- 
ity. A village on Oneida river where there are several eel-weirs. 
The Indians made some on this river. 

On~\\'3ihax\\a.-gue. Large clearing. \% the earliest and appro- 
priate name for the mouth of Salmon river. It was also called 



INDIAN NAMES. 65 

Ca-no-hage, A-con-hage, and Ga-hen-vva-ga, meaning a creek. 
Other names were Kahiaghage, Keyouanouague, Ahanhage, and 
Asonhage, with Cajonhago in 1687, and Cayhunghage in 1726. 
In Clark's Onondaga it is confused with the Oswego river. The 
French commonly called it La Famine, and Charlevoix said that 
the river had its name from the half famished condition of De la 
Barre's troops, when encamped at its mouth in 1684, but the 
name appears earlier. It probably came from the hunger of the 
French colonists of 1656, as they coasted along on their way to 
Onondaga. Two years before the Onondagas had a fishing vil- 
lage of Huron captives there, and it was the place first intended 
for the French settlement. 

He-ah-haw-he, Apples in the crotch of a tree. Grindstone 
creek. 

Ka-dis-ko-na, Lotig fnarsh. New Haven creek. 

Ga-nunt-sko-wa, Large bark, was an early name for Salmon 
creek, and is essentially the same as Cassonta Chegonar, Great 
bark. A. Cusick interpreted this more exactly as Large pieces 
of bark lying do7vn, ready for building. 

Kuh-na-ta-ha, Where pi)ie trees grow, is the present Indian 
name of the village of Phoenix. 

Kah-skungh-sa-ka, Many falls following, is the present Onon- 
daga name of Oswego Falls. It had several names in early 
chronicles, some of which are but variations of the present one, 
and it was called Gal-kon-thi-a-gue a little later, and A-ha-oue- 
te in 1656, if the latter is not the name of another rapid. David 
Cusick called the place Kus-keh-saw-kich. 

Ten-care Ne-go-ni was interpreted for me as He 7vill scatter 
his people everyjuhere, and was an early name for the River de la 
Planche, or Sandy creek. 

Kan-a-ta-gi-ron, defined for me as The creek is already there, 
is a small creek between Salmon river in this county and Big 
Sandy creek in Jefferson. 



66 INDIAN NAMES. 

Ga-so te-na, High grass. Scriba s creek. 

Te-qua-no-ta-go-vva, Big marsh. Bay creek. 

De-non-ta-che river, Floichig through a mountain., a name of 
uncertain location on a map of 1670, is either Oswego or Salmon 
river, but David Cusick assigned it to the Mohawk. The name 
appears near Oswego. 

Ke-hook, or Qui-e-hook, We spoke there, a village mentioned 
in 1665, either at Oswego Falls or Phoenix, These fishing vil- 
lages were temporary, and the name appears near Oneida lake 
in 1700. There was a summer fishing village at Phoenix in 1654. 

Kag-ne-wa-gra-ge, The ledge over ivhich the avater falls, has 
been applied to Oswego Falls, and also to a spot on the Oneida 
river. 

Ka-so-ag is the name of a post ofhce, and Lycoming an ap- 
plied name. 

OTSEGO COUNTY. 

Ote-sa-ga is Otsego lake, and traditionally is supi)Osed to refer 
to a large stone at the outlet. In the last century the name also 
appeared as Os-ten-ha, which A. Cusick tells me is something 
about a stone, and Cooper, in the preface to Deerslayer, says 
that the stone above mentioned still retained the name of the 
"Otsego Rock." 

Schen-e-vus, called Shen-i-va creek on a map ot 1790, was 
rendered Se-ha-vus, o\ First hoeing of corn., by A. Cusick. It 
varies in form. 

Nis-ka-yu-na is a name which appears also in Schenectady 
county. It was interjireted for me as Corn people., but the mean- 
ing is given elsewhere as Extensive corn flats. I quote also a 
conjectural meaning, which is erroneous, from French's Gaz- 
etteer, on the locality in Otsego county : "About 2 miles north 
of Clarksville is a rock called by the Indians Nis-ka-yu-na, (prob- 
ably meaning Council Rock.) where various tribes fiom the S. 



INDIAN NAMES. 67 

were accustomed to meet the Mohawks in council. In former 
days the rock was covered with hieroglyphics, but from its shaly 
nature all are now obliterated." Of course the Mohawks held 
. councils in no such places. 

O-ne-on-ta, A stony place. 

De-u-na-dil-la, or U-na-dilla, Place of meeting, perhaps of the 
Mohawks and Oneidas in southern expeditions, or merely of the 
streams. Among the early forms of the name were Ti-an-der-ra 
and Te yon-a-del-hough It was defined 3l?, Meeting of the taatersj 
at an early day. 

To-wa-no-en-da-lough, the first Mohawk town on the Susque- 
hanna in 1753, seems the same name. 

Wau-teg-he was a village farther down. 

O-te-go may be the same as the last. 

A-di-ga creek on the map of 1790, and A-te-ge creek on a 
■ map of 1826, flows through Otego township, and is the same 
name. 

Kagh ne-an-ta-sis, given rae as Where the water whirls, was a 
whirlpool six or eight miles below Wauteghe. 

Te-yon-e-an-dakt was three miles north of Unadilla. 

O-wa-ri-o-neck creek, east of Unadilla, was interpreted forme, 
Where the teacher lives. 

Ti-on-on-da-don, a small branch of the Susquehanna, near Ot- 
sego lake, was defined for me as Where she gave him somethiftg. 
On the map of the N. Y. grants the country about Unadilla is 
called To-wa-nen-da-don. 

Can-i-a-da-ra-ga, On the lake, was the early name of Schuyler's 
lake. It has been revived as Can-a-da-ra-go and Can-da-ja-ra-go. 

Con-i-hun to, or Gun-ne-gun-ter, was a village of 1779, four- 
teen miles below Unadilla. Colden also gives Co-hon-go-run-to 
as a name of the Susquehanna, but it probably means the river 
at that place. 

Ka-un-seh-wa-ta-u-yea, David Cusick's name for the Susque- 



68 



INDIAN NAMES. 



hanna. Albert Cusick, however, gave it to me as Kau-na-seh- 
wa-de-u-yea, Sandy ; and in Onondaga as Kah-na-se-u, Nice sand. 
Ga-wa-no-wa-na-neh, Great island river., is another Iroquois 
name. They called it Scan-an-da-na-ni in 1775, lefernng to 
Wyoming. 

Quen-isch-achsch-gek-han-ne, River icif/i long reaches. Heck- 
ewelder says that Susquehanna is corrupted from this. On the 
map of the N. Y. grants it is called the Sus-que-han-ock, and it 
had this name at an early day among the shore Indians. Capt. 
John Smith met the gigantic people who lived on its banks and 
were called by this name. To the Iroquois they were known as 
Andastes, and seem to have been the Conestogas. 

Sogh-nie-jah-die, He is lying in the snn again, according to my 
informant. An east branch of the Susquehanna. 

Oc-qui-o-nis, //e is a hear, as interpreted for me, is now Fly 
creek. If this were a Delaware name it would relate to a/<\v. 

Ots-da-wa creek. 

On a recent postal map Otsego lake appears as Do-se-go lake. 

A small lake is laid down on Pouchot's map, south of Otsego 
and Schuyler lakes, called Lake Sa-tei-yi-e-non, which may be 
Utsyanthia. 

PUTNAM COUNTY. 

Os-ka-wa no, so called from an Indian, is now Lake Canopus. 

Ma-cook-pack was an early form of Lake Mahopac. It varies 
somewhat, and was the name of an Indian tribe. 

Wick-o-pee pond was also called from an Indian tribe. 

Ti-o-run-da, Place where two streams meet. Fishkill. 

Kiblal-e-my was an early name for the southern i)art of the 
county. 

Pus-sa-pa-num. or Pus-sa-ta-num. 

Sim-me-wog hill. 

Lakes To-net-ta, (?) Kish-e-wa-na, and Mo-he-gan, 

Lake Os-ce-oda, between the last and Lake Mahopac. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 69 

Lake Mo-hen-sick. Cruiu ]nnu\. Of late there has been a 
disposition to replace local appellations with Indian names. 

QUEENS COUNTY. 

Sa-cut, an early name of Success pond. 

Rock-a-way beach, Bushy. 

Mer-ic, Mo-roke, or Mer-i-koke, the name of Mer-rick, from 
an Indian tribe there. 

Can-o-ras-set was the name first i:)roposed for Jamaica, and 
the latter is said to mean Land of wood and water m the West 
Indies, but here it is founded on a local name. 

Mas-peth, sometimes Mis-pat. 

Man-has-set, sometimes called Sint Sink by the Indians. 

Mat-in-i-cock Point, 1661, may be derived from Martinne- 
houck, an Indian village on Martin Gerritsen's bay in 1650. 

Mock-gon-ne-kouck, 1645. 

Ca-um-sett, early name of Lloyd's Neck. 

Se-a-wan-ha-ka, Island of shells, Mat-tan-wake, Long islamt. 
Pau-man-acke, and Me-i-to-wax, are names for Long Island. 

Suns-wick, Indian name of a stream near Astoria. 

Lu-sum, early name of Jericho. 

Mar-se-ping or Mar-se-peague Indians. 

Se-que-tanck Indians, 1675. 

Mat-se-pe, 1644. Now Mas-se-pe river. 

So-pers and Sy-os-set are other names. 

RENSSELAER COUNTY. 

Tom-han-nock creek is Tom-he nuck on Tryon's map. 

Pon-o-kose kill. 

Ti-er-ken creek, Noisy stream. 

Paps-ka-nee island is also Poeps-ken-e-koes, etc. It is Pop- 
she-ny on an early map. 

Pe-ta-qua-pc-en, an early Indian name for Greenbus'i. Jus- 
cum-ea-tick is another for the same place. 



I 



70 INDIAN NAMES. 

Me-sho-dac peak, in Nassau. 

Psan-ti-coke swamp is in the same town. 

Hoo-sick or Ho-sack, Place of stones. The name of an early 
settler, however, was Alexander Hosack. It has also been de- 
fined Along the kettle. 

Pan-hoo-sick, north of Troy, and mcluded in Van Rensselaer's 
purchase of 1646. 

Pa-an-pa-ack, Field of corn.^ was the site of Troy, and includ- 
ed in the same purchase. 

Tou-har-na, a tributary of the Hoosick, was interpreted for me 
as Hook or spear caught in the water. 

Na-chas-sickqua-ack, or Na-cha-quick -quack, an early name 
at the falls of this river. 

Que-quick, early name of Hoosick falls, like the last. 

Ma-roon-ska-ack, a stream tributary to the Hoosick at Sank- 
hoick. 

Ma-qua-con-kaeck, another near the last. 

Ma quain-ka-de-ly, another tributary. 

Per-i-go Hill. 

Tsat-sa-was-sa creek, sometimes called Tack-a-wa-sick. 

Pat-ta-was-sa creek. 

Wal-loom-sac river is variously spelled on old maps. 

Ty-o-shoke church, at San Coick, is mentioned early. Ti-a- 
shoke. 

Deepi and Kaola kills seem more than doubtful names. 

On-ti-ke-ho-mawck, an early village of Stockbridge Indians. 

Scagh-ti coke, Land slide., is variously spelled. Some New 
England Indians settled there in 1672. Pah-ha-koke is the 
Stockbridge name for this place. 

Wit-ten-a-ge mo-ta, or Council tree^ a large oak in the town of 
Scaghticoke. 

Pa-en-sic Kill. 

Po-quam-pa-cake creek, flowing into Hoosick river, 1779. 



INDIAN NA.MKS. 7 1 

Scho (luck ishiiul, near Albany. Scho-dack, Fireplace^ was 
the old seat of tiie iMohegans, and was situated at Castleton on 
the Hudson, said to have been so called t'rom the Indian castle 
on the adjacent hills. Is-cho-da is also given as a varying name, 
meaning Fire meadow. 

Un-se-wats castle, on the river bank in Rensselaer's map. 

Pis-ca-wen creek. 

Sem-es-seer-se, or Se-me-se-eck, was opposite Castle street, 
Albany. 

Pe-ta-nock. a mill stream above. 

Ne-ga gon-se, three miles north of the last. These four ap- 
pear on Van Rensselaer's patent, 1630. 

Pot-quas-sic, Sheep-sha-ack, and Ta es-ca me-a sick, are all 
names for Lansingburgh. 

RICHMOND COUNTY. 

Mo-ta-nucke. Mo-nock-nong, Aque-hon-ga and Egh-qua-ous 
were early names of Staten Island, the last two meaning. High 
sandy banks. There were several small Indian tribes along 
New York bay. 

ROCKLAND COUNTY. 

The Ka-ki-ate Patent is said to have been "called by the In- 
dians, Whor-i-nims, Pe-ruck, Ge-ma-kie, and Na-nash-nuck."' 

Hack-en-sack river. Low land. 

Min is-ce-on-go, or Min-is-con-ga creek. 

Tap pan naturally suggests an English name, but is Indian. 
Heckewelder says, " This is from the Delaware language, and de- 
rived from Thup-hane, or Tup-hanne, 'Cold Spring.'" 

Mon-sey, A wolf, from the Muncey Indians, is variously 
spelled. 

Ma-haick-a-mack or Ne-ver-sink, Ny-ack', Pas-cack, Ram-a-po, 
Mat-te-a-wan. Mi-nas, and Scun-ne-mank are other names. 



72 INDIAN NAMES. 

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY. 

Os-we-gatch-ie river is Black ivater^ and is locally pronounced 
Os-we-gotch-ee. It was called La Presentation by the French, 
who founded a mission there in 1749. It appeared as Swe -ga- 
ge in 1750, and also So-e-gas-ti. J. Macauley told J. Sims that 
the name meant Going around a hill, but this was On-on-to-hen, 
a local name on the river at Ox-bow, in' Jefferson county. 

O-tsi-kwa-ke, Where the ash tree grozos ivith lar^e knots, is a 
name for both Indian river and Black lake. 0-je-quack, Nut 
river, is another name for Indian river. 

Che-gwa-ga, I?i the hip. Black lake. 

Kan-a-waga, Rapid river, is the St. Lawrence, from its numer- 
ous and great rapids, which the Iroquois once thought insur- 
mountable by large boats. 

0-ra-co-ten-ton, or O-ra-co-nen-ton, is Chinmey island. This 
was the scene of the last fight between the French and English 
in 1760, and the ruins of the fort may yet be seen. 
. Chip-pe-wa bay. 

Pas-kuu-ge-mah is Tupper's lake, called also A-re-yu-na. An- 
other name is Tsit-kan-i-a-ta res-ko-wa, Largest lake. 

Tsi-kan-i-on-wa-res-ko-wa, Long pond, a small lake below the 
last. The names differ but slightly. 

Gar-on-ou-oy, the Long Sault in 1673, i^ almost identical with 
the next. It probably means Where one speaks with a loud 
voice, or A confused voice. 

Ka-ron-kwi is the lower Long Sault island, and scarcely differs 

from the last. 

Tsi-io-wen-o-kwa-ra-te, High island. Upper Long Sault island. 

Ka-wen-o-ko-wa-nen-ne, Big island. Cornwall. 

O-ton-di-a-ta was interpreted for me as Stone stairs, an ap])ro- 
priate name. It was applied to Grenadier island as early as 
1673, and with slight variations was always prominent. 

Gan-a-ta-ra-go-in, Big lake. Indian Point, in Lisbon. 



INDIAN NAMES. "73 

0-sa-ken-ta-ke, Grass lake, accurately represents the present 
name, and in it tlie name of Kentucky will be observed. 

Kat-sen-e-kwar, Lake covered with yellow lilies. Yellow lake. 

Tsi-ia-ko-ten-nit-ser-ront-ti-et-ha, Where the canoe must be 
pushed up stream with poles. Gallop rapid. 

Tsi-hon-wi-net-ha, Where the canoe is toived with a rope. Isle 
au Rapid, opposite Waddmgton. 

Kan-a-ta-ra-ken, Wet village, Waddington. 

O-was-ne, Feather island. Sheik's island. 

Ti-o hi-on-ho-ken. Place where the river divides. Brasher's 
Falls. 

Kan-a-swa-stak-e-ras, Where the mud smells bad. Massena 
Springs. Indians seem to have been much mipressed with the 
bad odor of mineral springs of all kinds. 

Kan-a-ta-se-ke, New village. Norfolk. The same as the 
early name of Geneva. 

Te-wa-teii-e-ta-reii-ies, Place zvhere the gravel settles under the 
feet in dragging up a canoe. Potsdam. 

Mas-sa-we-pie*lake. 

Point aux Iroquois, in Waddington. Charlevoix says that 
"The name of Iroquois is purely French, and has been formed 
from the term hiro, ' I have spoken,' a word by which these In- 
dians close all tlieir speeches, and koue, which, when long drawn 
out, is a cry of sorrow, and when briefly uttered is an exclama- 
tion of joy." This really makes it an Indian word compounded 
by the French, as Ha-vven-ne-yu was formed by them as a name 
for the Great Spirit. Horatio Hale, however, properly objects 
that they had this name when Champlain came, and it appears a 
little later on maps as Irocoisia. He would derive it from Gar- 
okwa, a pipe, or else from the indeterminate verb lerokwa, to 
smoke. The conjecture is ingenious. He suggests, also, less 
probably, the word Bear, which is ohkwari in Mohawk, okwai 



74 INDIAN NAMES. 

in Cayuga. On the Dutch map of i6i6 Lake Champlain is in- 
scribed " Hcf Meer Vand Irocoisen." 

Ni-kent-si-a-ke has also been apphed to Grass river, and in- 
terpreted Full of large fishes, 

SARATOGA COUNTY. 

The meaning of Saratoga is now purely conjectural, and the 
conjectures are wild enough. One is Hillside springs ; another 
Sivift water, applied to the settlement near Schuylerville ; an- 
other is Sah-rak-ka for Side hill; but there seems no foundation 
for any of these. Sar-a-ta-ke, or Sar-a-to-ga, Where the tracks of 
heels may be seen, from impressions in the rocks, may be better, 
for an early Iroquois word for heel was E-ra-ta-ge. Among 
other names the place was called Sar-ach-ta-gue in 1687; and 
Schur-o-tac-qua, an early name for a musical pipe, may have 
some relation to the meaning. The French mentioned it as 
Sarastau in 1747, and it always varied much in form. Mr. W. 
L. Stone, in his "Reminiscences of Saratoga," derives it from 
Saragh, swift water, and aga, a place or people. He makes it 
equivalent to Kayaderoga and Saraghoga, and illustrates his de- 
finition by calling Sacondaga, Place of roaring water ; Ticonder- 
oga. Place where the lake shuts itself in ; and Niagara, Place of 
falling waters. These definitions do not agree with the best 
authorities. Tonawadeh or Kanawaga is the proper term for 
swift water, and I do not recall the word he gives. 

Twek-to-non-do hill was at an angle of the Kayaderosseras 
Patent. 

Nach-te-nack, is applied to Waterford and the mouth of the 
Mohawk. 

Fee-go-wese and Ka-ya-wese creeks. 

Can-is-ta-qua-ha, interpreted for me as People of pounded corn^ 
Half Moon. 

Chic-o-pee, A large spring. Saratoga Springs. 



INDIAN NAMES. 75 

Cliou-en-da-ho-wa, or She-non-de-ho-wa, A great plain. Clif- 
ton Park. Shan-and-hot is another form. 

Os-sar-a-gas, or Wood creek, was mentioned as Os-sar-a-gue, 
a fishing place between Glen's Falls and the Mohawk river in 
1642. The meaning given me is Place of a knife. 

Sco-wa-rock-a was the north part of Maxon hill in Greenfield. 

Ka-ya-de-ros-se-ras creek flows into Saratoga lake, but the 
name covers a wide territory. 

A-dri-u-cha was a name at Crane's village. 

SCHENECTADY COUNTY. 

Schenectady is the proper name for Albany, meaning Beyond 
the pine plains, but it is appropriate here in coming from the 
east. Several names follow which have been assigned to Schen- 
ectady, all of which I consider unfounded except the last. 
Bruyas defined Skannatati as The other side, and One side of a 
village, considered merely as a noun. 

Ori-o-a-la-gone-na, /// the head, has been applied to Schenec- 
tady. This was defined for me as Big head, but is found else- 
where. 

O-ron-nygh-wur-rie-gugh re is another name, perhaps like the 
next. 

Con-nugh-ha-rie-gugh ha rie. A great multitude collected to- 
gether, was the ancient Mohawk capital on this spot, according 
to Macauley. There seems no foundation for this, and the name 
suggests Canajoharie. Pearson gives the same story, slightly 
altering the name and meaning to Con-no-cho-rie-gu-ha-rie, 
Driftwood, which is the meaning of Schoharie. The Mohawks 
probably never had a town here, and I cannot imagine how the 
story originated. Oh-no-wal-a-gan-tle is said, by Macaule)-, to 
have been a considerable Mohawk town at Schenectady when 
the Dutch bought lands there between 1616 and 1620, but this 
happened many years later. As far as known there were no 
villages east of Schoharie creek. 



76 INDIAN NAMES. 

Scho-no-we, Great flat^ was the name of Schenectady when 
sold to Corker, in 1661. 

Tou-a-reu-ne, a name given to the neighboring hills. 

Wach-keer-ho-ha. the fourth flat near Schenectady. 

^'\^\z.yyX'W2L, Extensive corn flats. A. Cusick called it Corn 
people., and it is said to be a corruption of Nistigioune, or Con- 
istigione. 

Te-quat-se-ra is Verf kill, translated for me as Wooden spoon. 

SCHOHARIE COUNTY. 

Scho-ha.r-ie, Driftwood. There are many early forms of this- 

Ken-hana-ga ra, given me as There lies the river, the traveler 
having arrived at the Mohawk. Another name of the same 
creek, at its mouth. 

On-con-ge na, Mountain of snakes, is near Middleburgli. 

On-is-ta-gra-wa, Corn mountain, is near the same place. 

To-vvok-now-ra is now Spring hill. 

Mo-he-gon-ler, or a Falling off, is part of Mohegan hill. 

Ots-ga-ra-gu, Hemp hill, is a name for Coble's Kill. 

As-ca-le-ge, defined for me as Black cloth, is the same place. 

Gog-ny-ta-nee, a hill in Seward. 

O-ne-en-ta-dashe, Round the hUl. Another hill in the s^aivie 
town. 

0-vva-ere-sou-ere, a hill in Carlisle. 

Ka-righ-on-don-tee, defined for me as A line of trees, being a 
chief's name given to a recent castle in Vroomans Land. 

0-ne-ya-gine, A stone. Stone creek. 

Sa-ga-wan-nah, a mountain in this county. 

On-its-tah-ra-ga-ra-we, or On-nits-teg-raw, was a name given 
to Vrooman's Nose in 17 11, much like one already mentioned. 

Kan-jea-ra-go-re, or Can-jea-rag-ra, is a hill ?outh of the last. 

Kah-owtt- (la-re. a hill west of Schoharie creek in 1734. 

Ga-Ia-ra-ga. another hill similarly situated. 



INDIAN NAMES. 77 

Chawtick-og-nack, a creek between the Catskills and the 
Schoharie, on an early map. 

SCHUYLER COUNTY. 

Ca-yu-ta lake and creek. 

Che o-quock. Catharine's town, near Havana. This was 
burned in 1779. 

Con-dawdiaw. Appletown in Hector, also destroyed in 1779. 

SENECA COUNTY. 

Sin-ne-ke, or Sen-e-ka, is an Algonquin name for the nation, 
and appears on the Dutch maps of 16 14 and 16 16 as Sennecas. 
Some have identified this with the Sickenanes, which is clearly 
erroneous, as this was a different name of a New England tribe. 
Gen. J. S. Clark and Hon. George S. Conover derive it from 
the Algonquin word shine^ to eat; as in We-siune. we eat. The 
reference then might be figurative, or to their character as men- 
eaters. Mr. Horatio Hale says that Sinako means stone snakes 
in the Delaware, but that Mr. Squier was told that, in this con- 
nection. It meant "Mountain snakes." As the Delawares called 
all then- enemies snakes, they simply added this term to the 
proper name of the Senecas. The meaning of stone snakes, 
however, would not be that they were petrified, but that they in- 
habited rocks or hills. The snake stories of the Senecas may be 
connected with this translation. 

Ca-no-ga is said to mean Siveet 7vater by some, while others 
interpret it as Oil cvi the 7uater. It is the reputed birth place 
of Red Jacket, and is marked by a monument. 

Sha-se-ounse, Rolling watet-. Seneca Falls. 

Skoi-yase, Place of W/iortleberries, according to Morgan. 
Waterloo. The name, however, appears, in 1779, ^'ith the 
meaning oi Long falls, which is accepted. It is also defined 
Rapids ill the river. 



78 INDIAN NAMES. 

Skan-na-yu-ten-a-te, a village of 1779, on the west shore ot 
Cayuga lake, near Canoga. A. Cusick rendered this, On the 
other side of the lake, most of the Cayuga towns being on the 
east side. 

Ken-dai-a, a village of the same date, in Romulus. 

Swah-ya-wa-na was another near the last, which was defined 
iov me 2iS F/ace of large fruit. 

Oe-yen-de-hit, on the west side of Cayuga lake, on Pouchot's 
map. The meaning given me was There are favorable signs. 

Nu-qui-age, a Cayuga village near Seneca lake, mentioned by 
Zeisberger. 

STEUBEN COUNTY. 

Tuscarora creek means Shirt 7uearers, the Tuscaroras having 
come from the south, and perhaps needing more clotiiing than 
others. 

Te-can-as-e-te-o, Board on the water. Canisteo river. 

Te-car-nase-te-o-ah, A board sign. Painted Post. The well 
known painted post was at the confluence of Tioga and Conhoc- 
ton rivers, and marked the grave of a great chief, who is said to 
have .died of his wounds in the Revolutionary war. On it were 
painted various rude devices, and it remained for many years 
after the white settlement. Graves were often marked in this 
way. In the account of the Iroquois in 1666, it is said of the 
dead, " When it is a man they paint red calumets, calumets of 
peace on the tomb: sometimes they plant a stake on which they 
paint how often he has been in battle : how many prisoners he 
has taken ; the post ordinarily is only four or five feet high, and 
much embeUished.'' The name of Canisteo, however, was well 
known before the Revolution. 

Con-hoc-ton river. Trees in the 7i.niter. Morgan makes this 
Ga-ha-to, Log in the water, and applies it to this and the Che- 
mung river. 

Michigan creek, in Thurston, is an introduced name. 



INDIAN NAMES. 79 

Ke-u-ka, a landing on Crooked lake, which is also now quite 
commonly known by the same name. 

K a-no na, defined for me as On my skin. Five Mile creek. 

Co-non-gue is a name for the Chemung river, the latter name 
being rendered Big horn, or Horn in the water. 

As-sin-nis-sink was a Monsey town of 1750, at or near Painted 
Post. On Guy Johnson's map of 177 1, it is given as Sin Sink. 
It seems an error to derive it from John Sing Sing, a friendly 
Indian. 

Ga-wan-is-que, Briery. A creek entering the Chemung at 
Painted Post. 

Do-na-ta-gwen-da, or Ta-nigh-na-quan-da, Opening in an open- 
ing. Bath. This is a good description. 

Cataw-ba, a southern name introduced. 

On Pouchot's map are the villages of Kay-gen, Kna-e-to and 
Kan-es-ti-o ; and also the Kay-gen river. 

SUFFOLK COUNTY. 

Pat-chogue, from Pochough Indians. It is doubtfully said to 
mean Where they ga7nble and dance. 

Co-met-i-co is now Old Field Point, 

Mi-nasse-roke is Little Neck. 

Po-quott is now Dyer's Neck. 

Cum-se-wogue, Cedar hill cemetery. 

So-was-sett is now Port Jefferson. 

Wo-po-wag, an early name of Stony Brook. 

No-no-wau-tuck is now Mount Sinai. 

Man-ow-tuss-quott. Blue Point. 

Se-tau-ket is Sa-ta-tuck on a map of 1825 ; named from Seca- 
togue Indians. 

Mas-tic was formerly occupied by the Poospatuck Indians. 
Parts of this large tract are Sabonock, Necommack, Coosputus, 
Paterquos, Uncohoug and Mattemoy. 



8o INDIAN NAMES. 

Co-ram is a hamlet named from an Indian chief. 

Wamp-mis-sic is an Indian name for a neighboring swamp. 

Quaw-no-ti-wock, Great pond. 

Konk-hong-a-nok, or Kon -go-nock. Fort pond, near Sag Harbor 

Mon-cho-nock, or Ma-shon-go-muc. Gardiner's island. 

Mon-tauk Point is so called from the Montauk Indians. Is- 
land country, or perhaps better, Fort country. 

Nach-a-qua-tuck. Cold Spring. 

Osh-ma-mo-mock, north-west of Greenport. 

Sun-quams, an early name of Melville. 

Pen-at-a-quit. A small stream. 

Con-et-quot river, sometimes written Connecticut. 

Sam-pa-wam. Thompson's creek. 

Pan-qua-cum-suck. Wading river. 

Nom-mo-nock hills. Nominick, near Neapeague. 

Mi-a-mog, or Mi-an-rogue. Jamesport. 

Man-hon-sack-a-ha-quash-u-wor-nook, An island sheltered by 
islands. Shelter island. 

Ga-wa-na-se-geh, A long island. Long Island, so called by 
the Five Nations. 

Mat-o-wacks, Ferituinkle, applied to the same in 1682. 

Se-con-tagh. Foreland of Long Island. 

O-jik-ha-da-ge-ga, Salt water. The ocean. In general, how- 
ever, the Iroquois term for this was Caniataregowa, Big lake. 

Kit-o-a-bo-neck, or Ketch-a-bo-neck. 

A-que-bague, or Oc-ca-pogue. A creek. 

Ag-wam, Place abounding in fish. Southampton. 

Hop-pogue, or I^aup-paugs is said to mean Sweet waters. 

Man-has-set comes from a nation living on Shelter island. 

Shin-ne-cock bay and hills. 

Yen-ne-cock, a part of Southold, east of Cutchogue. 

Cut-chogue may be from the Cor-chogue Indians, who lived 
east of Wading river. The principal place. 



I 



INDIAN NAMES. 8 1 

Po-qua-tuck is now Orient. This was bought in 1641, 

Mat-ti-tuck, Place unthout wood. 

Lake Ron-kon-ko-ma, Sand pond, from the shores. 

Ac-ca-po-nack from Occapand'k, a kmd of ground nut: Sa-ga- 
pu-n'ak, another kind ; Se-pu-n'ak bluffs, another kind still, at 
Shinnecock; Ket-che-pu-n'ak, the largest kind of all, was ap- 
plied to Westhampton. 

I have not undertaken the difficult work of defining names in 
the shore dialects, but have taken those that came in my way. 
Mr. W. W. Tooker, of Sag Harbor, has done some good work of 
this kind. 

Other names are Ne-a-peague, Am-a-gan-sett, Mi-an-ti-cutt, 
Cor-cha-ki, Noy-ack, Quan-tue, Nis-se-quague, Me-cox, Spe-onk 
Quogue, Pon-quogue, Shag-wan-go, Sagg, and Com-mack or 
Co- mack. 

SULLIVAN COUNTY. 

Mon-gaup river is Man-gam-ping or Ming-wing, on some early 
maps. It has been defined Several streams, in allusion to its 
three branches. 

Cal-li coon river, Turkey. This is Ivolli Koen on a map of 
1825. Although generally considered an Indian name, with the 
above meaning, it has been claimed as a derivative from two 
Dutch words, with some show of reason. I suppose it, however, 
to have come from the Delaware word Gulukochsoon, a turkey. 

Co-chec-ton has been translated Low grounds, and also Fin- 
ished small /larbor, the former being preferable. The Cashigton 
Indians formerly lived on the Delaware river, near this place. 

Ma-ma-ka-ting is said to have had its name from an Indian 
chief, and has been interpreted Dividing the waters. The In- 
dian village IS called Mame Cotink on the map of 1779. 

Ne-ver-sink has been interpreted Afad river, and also Water 
hetiveen highlands, as well as Fishing place. Some have thought 



82 INDIAN NAMES. 

the name merely an English allusion to the waters of the stream, 
but it is clearly aborigina'. It is also Mahackamack on the map 
of 1779. 

Ki-am-e-sha is now Pleasant pond. 

Sha-wan-gunk, from Shongum, w/iife, making the name of the 
mountains. White stones. 

Po-ca-tocton, Mver almost spent. 

Kon-ne-on-ga, W/iite lake, in Bethel, so called from its white 
sands. 

Chough-ka-wa-ka-no-e, a small creek mentioned in 1665. 

Al-as-kaye-ring is the continuation of the Shawangunk 
mountains southward. 

Ba-sha kill. Basha was an old squaw whose husband killed 
a deer, and left her to bring it home. She fastened it securely 
on her back, but in crossing the stream fell under her burder, 
and being unable to disengage herself was drowned. 

Other names are Me-ton-gues, Ho-mo-wack, Lack-a-wack. and 
Wil-low-e-mock, the latter in Rockland township. 

TIOGA COUNTY. 

Cat-a-tunk creek, or Ti-a-tach-schi-unge. 

O-we-go has been translated Sicift 7ciafer, and also given as 
Ah-wa-ga, Where the valley widens. N. P. Willis mentions Ca- 
ne-wa-na as a village between his home at Glenmary and Owego. 
The name has disappeared. There are several early forms of 
the name of Owego. The village was burned in 1779, to cel- 
ebrate the union of Clinton's and Sullivan's armies. 

Ti-o-ga, At the forks. 

Chemung and Susquehanna have been defined before. 

Manck-at-a-wang-um, or Red Itaftk, was opposite the site of 
Barton in 1779. 

Ga-now-tach-ge-rage. interpreted for me as There lies the vil- 
lage. West creek, 1745. 



INDIAN NAMES. 83 

Gen. J. S. Clark thinks Spanish Hill, at Waverly, the ancient 
Car-ant-ou-an, a village of the Andastes. 

Other names are Nan-ti-coke and Ap-a-la-chin or Ap-pa-la-con. 

TOMPKINS COUNTY. 

Ca-yu-ga lake and inlet from the nation of that name, who ad- 
vanced their villages to the Susquehanna after the conquest of 
the Andastes. 

Ne-o-dak-he-at, Head of the lake. Ithaca. 

Taug-han-ick, or Taug-han-nock falls, a name from Columbia 
county. 

To-ti-e-ron-no, interpreted for me as Where guns were Jiiade, 
but it is the name of a nation also. The Iroquois placed a 
southern nation, called Te-de-righ-roo-nas, at thp head of the 
lake in 1747. 

Co-re-or-go-nel was a village near Ithaca in 1779. 

Ga-nont-a-cha-rage, was a stream between Ithaca and Owego, 
in 1745. elsewhere defined. 

Some have thought that Poney Hollow came from the name 
of the Saponeys, who may have had a village there. 

ULSTER COUNTY. 

E-so-pus, once Sopus, comes from See-pu, a Delaware term 
for river. It has been called See-pus, Sopers, and So-pus, but 
the present name prevailed at an early day. The Esopus nation 
was of Algonquin stock, as all the river Indians were. 

At-kar kar-ton, or At-kan-kar-ten, was an early name of Esopus 
creek and Kingston, and is said to mean Smooth water. 

Kuy-kuyt mountain, or Lookout mountain. 

Shokan, a village in Olive. 

Mom-bac-cus, Indian name of the town of Rochester. 

Shan-da-ken, Rapid 7vater. 

Sha-wan-gunk, White rocks., but some have thought it came 



84 INDIAN NAMES. 

from Showan or Shawnee, meaning south, and Gunk, mountain, 
thus making it South mountain. 

Wa-war-sing is said to mean, Blackbird's nest. Wa-wa-sink 
in 1779. 

O-nan-gwack creek, east of Rondout creek. 

Ker-honk-son, or Ka-hank-sen, 1665. 

Ponck-hock-ie, a place near Kingston; 

Wilt-meet, an Indian fort supposed to have been in Marble- 
town. 

Ka-ha-kas-nik, a stream north of Rondout creek. 

Ma-go-was-in-ginck, another north of the last. 

Ma-ha-ke-negh-tuc, Continually overflowing water. Hudson's 
name for Hudson's river, as is said, but it is better Mo-hi-can-it- 
tuck. Fiver of the Mohicans. 

Other names are Ky-ser-ike, Nap-a-nock, Ho-mo-wack, Lack- 
a-wack, Min-ne-was-ka, Ma-chack-a-mock, Met-ta-ca-honts, and 
Mo-honk. 

WARREN COUNTY. 

Te-o-ho-ken, equivalent to Tioga, west branch of the Hudson, 
and alluding to the forks, 

At-a-te-ka, east branch of the same river. 

Hor-i-con seems an early misprint, quite doubtfully said to 
mean Silver water, and sometimes erroneously applied to Lake 
George. Cooper is responsible for this, his " Last of the Mohi- 
cans" being a tale of the vicinity. Some old maps had Horicon 
for Hir-o-coi. 

At-al-a-poo-sa, Sliding place. Rogers Slide, but also applied 
to Tongue mountain. 

Ka-yan-do-ros-sa, said to be the Indian name of Glens Falls. 
A. Cusick translated it Long deep hole, which might apply to 
the ravine, or the cave below the bridge. Pan-gas-ko-link is also 
given as a name for this place. Che-pon-tuc, Hard climbing, 
is another. 



INDIAN NAMES. 85 

Can-i-a-de-ros-se-ras, the country north of Schenectady, per- 
haps having a reference to a lake. This or the preceding may 
give hght to the meaning of Kayaderosseras, the patent of which 
so long caused trouble. 

Bou-to-keese. Falls at Luzerne. 

Te-kagh-we-an-ga-ra-negh-ton. A mountain west of Lake 
George, in 1755. 

Kah-che-bon-cook. Jessup's falls. 

Moos-pot-ten-wa-cha, Thunders nest. Crane mountain. 

Waw-kwa-onk. Caldwell. 

Gan-a-ous-ke, Where you get sprinkled, as interpreted for me. 
Northwest bay in Lake George. 

Ti-o-sa-ron-da, Meeting of 7vaters, at Luzerne. 

Oregon is an introduced name. 

Se-non-ge-wah, Great upturned pot, a mountain four miles 
from Luzerne. 

O-i-o-gue, Beautiful river. The Hudson in the narrative of 
Father Jogues, who called its upper waters by this name in 1645. 
Bruyas, however, defined Ohioge, At the river, which may be 
preferable. 

Can-i-a-de-ri-oit, Tail of the lake. Lake George, but some- 
times better applied to the south end of Lake Champlain, where 
it has a striking significance. I think this the proper apphcation. 
Father Jogues arrived at Lake George in 1645, ^^ incident de- 
scribed in the relation of the following year. "They arrived on 
the eve of Corpus Christi, at the foot of the lake which connects 
with the great lake Champlain; the Ircquois call it Andiatarocte, 
which signifies. There where the lake is shut in. The Fathers 
named it lake St. Sacrement,*' from the day, referring to the Eu- 
charist, and not to baptism as some have supposed. Part of the 
name only, first given, is identical )yith that mentioned by 
Jogues. 

Lake Champlain was often called Lake of the Iroquois by 



56 INDIAN NAMES. 

both the Dutch and French, but it had many names. 
WASHINGTON COUNTY. 

An-di-a-ta-rac-te, Where the lake is shut in. An early name 
of Lake George before mentioned, Caniadare meaning lake. 

On-ja-da-rac-te was mentioned as the head of Lake Champlain 
in 1688, and a place where the Enghsh might build a fort, ap- 
parently at Ticonderoga. It is the same as the preceding. 

0-je-en-rud-de, where the French proposed building a fort in 
1 701, seems the same name much modified. 

" R. Tyconderoge or tale of the lake," appears on the map of 
New York grants. The lake seems to have had many tails. 
The place was called Chi-nan-de-roga in 1691, and Di-on-da-ro- 

gain 1755. , , . , , 

Cos-sa-yu-na, Lake at our pines. A lake m Argyle. 

Wam-pa-chook-glen-o-suck. Vv'hitehall. 

Wam-pe-cock creek seems derived from the last. 

Kah-cho-quah-na, Place where they dip fish. Whitehall. 

Lake Rod-si-o-Ca-ny-a-ta-re. Lake Champlain ; the last 
word meaning lake, and the first being the name of a Mohawk 
chief who was drowned there. 

Ta-kun-de-wi-de. Harris' bay, on Lake George. 

Ty-o-shoke, a name for part of Cambridge. 

Tom-he-nack, a creek in the same town. 

Di-on-on-da-ho-wa falls, interpreted for me as She opens the 
door for them. 

Met-to-wee river is the Pawlet. 

An-a-quas-sa-cook is the name of a patent granted in 1762. 

Pom-pan-uck is said to have been the original form of Pump- 
kin Hook, and to have been so called from Connecticut Indians 
who settled there. 

Po-dunk is a name introduced from New England. 

Kin-gi-a-quah-to-nee was the portage between Fort Edward 
and Wood creeks. 



INDIAN NANES. 87 

On-da-wa means Coming again, according to my informant. 
White creek. 

On-de-ri-gue-gon is a name for the drowned lands ot this 
county. 

Tigh-til li-gagh-ti-kook is the soutli branch of Batten kill. 

Wah-co-loos-en-cooch-a-le-ra. Fort Edward. Fis-quid is a 
name for the same place on an old powder horn. 

WAYNE COUNTY. 

As sor-o-dus has been translated Sihe?- water, but there seems 
no reason for this. It is Aserotus on a map of 1771, but Sodus 
bay has other names. On Pouchot's map it is " Baye des Goy- 
ogoins," or Cayugas, and was commonly known by this title. In 
1759 it was termed Osenodus. On a map of 1662 it is Ganaatio 
which would be Beantifiil water. A map of 1688 calls it Char- 
aton. According to Morgan the name of Sodus Bay creek was 
Tegahonesaota, Child in a baby frame. The first two syllables 
simply mean The place at, and Sodus may have come from the 
last three syllables. This is the simplest theory which occurs to 
me, but it may have come, in another form, from Asare, A knife. 
The Indians can now give no meaning to the word. The bay 
was the Cayuga landing place. 

Gan-ar-gwa, A village suddenly sprung up. Palmyra and Mud 
creek. 

Je-don-da-go, a pkce east of Jerondakat bay, at an early day. 

Te-ger-hunk-se-rode, a hill belonging to the Cayugas in 1758, 
and east of Sodus bay. This may be Morgan's name for Sodus 
Bay creek above mentioned. 

Squa-gon-na. Montezuma marshes. This may have come 
from the Cayuga, Naskwagaonta, Toad or frog ; but more prob 
ably is an abbreviation of the Onondaga Skahhoosoonah. Yellow 

catfish. 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY. 
The most of the names in this county will be found in Bol- 



88 INDIAN NAMES. 

ton's History of Westchester, and they are nearly all Mohegan 
words, several tribes of this nation having dwelt here. 

Os-sin-sing, or Os-sin-ing; Stone upon stone, the name of a 
Mohegan tribe. It is written Sing Sing, with many other forms. 

Sint Sink creek has the same meaning and also Sen-si-nick, or 
Stony place. 

Ma-har-nes river. Me-ha-nas seems the same name. 

Weec-quaes-guck, Place of a bark kettle, has many forms, of 
which Wes-sec-ca-now may be the most extreme, Weckquas- 
keck representing the medium. Dobb's Ferry. 

Ma-cook-nack point. 

Ki-wig-tig-nock, an elbow of Croton river, called also Ke-wigh- 
teg-nack. He-wegh-ti-quack is another form. It is west of 
Pine's bridge. 

Am-a-walk, an abbreviated Indian name for the east part of 
Yorktown. 

Ac-que-a-ho-unck, Red cedar tree. Hutchinson's creek. 

A-que-a-no-unck, for East Chester creek, seems the same. 

Po-nin-goe, Indian name of Rye. 

Ma-nur-sing, called Min-ne-wies, or Fine island, by the In- 
dians. Another form is Mi-nu-sing, an island. 

Mus-coot river. Mus-coo-ta mountain is also near Croton is- 
land. 

Sach-wra-hung. A brook near West Farms. 

Quan-na-hung, a neck of land in the same town. 

Ar-men-pe-rai is Sprain river. 

Mos-ho-lu is Tibbett's brook. 

Among the lakes are Mo-har-sic, Mo-he-gan, Cob-a-mong, 
Wac-ca-back, Wam-pus. and Ma-gri-ga-ries. The last is also the 
early name of a stream near Peekskill. 

Sa-chus, or Sack-hoes, is the vicinity of Peekskill. 

Kitch-a-wan, Large and swift current. Croton river, called 
also Kick-ta-wank. Croton has the appearance of an European 



INlilAN NAMES. 89 

name, but is said to have been cliang'ed from Ken-o-tin, IVifid. 

Sen-as-qua neck is Croton ])oint. 

As-pe-tong, a hill in Bedford. 

Ka-to-nah, or Can-ta-toe. The Jay homestead. 

Mount Kis-ko comes from Res-kis-ka. There is also a Cis- 
qua creek. 

Os-ca-wa-na island. 

Me-an-agh is the vicinit}- of Verplanck's point. 

Ap-pa-magh-pogh, lands near the same. 

Ap-pa-ragh-pogh, for the county east of Cortland town, scarce- 
ly differs. 

Tam-mo-e-sis, a small creek near Verplanck's point. 

A-que-hung. Bronx river. 

Tuck-a-hoe is said to mean IVhei-e deer are shy. It is the 
name, however, of a kind of Indian bread. 

Al-ip-conck, Place of elms. 'I'arrytown. 

Nep-er-han creek. Also Nep-er-a. 

iVIock-quams, now Blind brook. 

Mam-ar-o-neck is said to mean Place of rolling stones. 

Wa-i-man-uck. Orienta. 

Ran-ach-que. Bronck's land. 

Shap-pa-qua, or Chap-pa-qua. is said to mean a vegetable 
root. It is in Newcastle. 

Po-can-ti-co, or Po-can-te-co river. 

Ar-monck, Beaver^ is now Byram river. 

Tit-icus river is otherwise Mugh-ti-ti-coss, from the name of 
an Indian chief. Po-ti-ti-cus is in Bedford. 

Wis-sa-yek, Rocky place. Dover. 

Re-ke-shick. Yonkers. 

Many of the following are from Bolton's map of 1609, in 
which he gave the names of places and tribes of that date, as 
well as they could be ascertained. 

The Tan-ke-ten-kes then lived back of Sing Sing. 



go INDIAN NAMES. 

Ma-cok-as-si~no was a part of the country along the Hudson. 

Shor-ack-ap-pock was another place along the river. 

Pep-pen-eg-hek lake is now Cross pond. 

To-quams was a place mentioned in 1640. 

Ship-pan, in New Rochelle, also appears in that year. 

Rip-po-wams is of the same date. 

Qua-haug comes from Po-quau-hock. a ronnd clam. 

Mon-ak-e-we go. (rreenwich point. 

Sigg-hes is a great rock in Greenburgh. 

There are many places mentioned, as Kensico, Wennebees, 
Tanraken, Keakatis, Caranasses, Conoval, Petuquapaen, Be- 
tuckquapock, Sioascock, Suckebout in Bedford. Cohansey, Nan- 
ama, Potamus ridge, Pasquashic. Noapain, and Manunketesuck, 
in the Sound. 

Of creeks there are Wishqua or Canopus, Kestaubaiuck. Sas- 
sachem, Sepeachim, Bissightick, Weghquegtick. Maennepis, 
Mangopson, Wanmainuck, Apawquammis or Mockquams, Me- 
hanas, Tatomuck, Cisqua, and Wepuc. 

Of islands there are Manakawaghkin, and in the East river 
Wikisan and Minnahenock. 

Among early villages are Pechquenakonck, Cantitoe, Nanich- 
iestawack in Bedford, Pokerhoe. Hokohongus near Pocanteco 
creek, Nipnichsen, Kikeshiek, and Nauasin. 

Ap-a-wa-mis is applied to Rye Neck, and also to a stream. 

Quar-op-pas is now White Plains. 

Honge was the upper part of Blind brook. 

E-kuck-et au-pa-cuson is now Rye Woods. 

Pock-e-o-tes-sen was a name for Stony brook. 

Ra-ho-na-ness. A plain in Rye in 1720. 

Ha-se CO has been given as an Indian name of a meadow on 
Byram river, but it has been thought to be simply hassock}\ from 
hassock, alluding to the tufts of grass. The next would imply 
that it was really an Indian name. 



INDIAN NAMK.S. QI 

Mi-os-e-lias-sa-ky, another meadow on the same. 

La-ap-ha-wach-king, Place of stringing beads. Though this 
has been appHed to New York, it is claimed especially for this 
county. 

WVOMINCr COUNTY. 

Ga-da-ges-ga-o, Fetid hanks. Cattaraugus creek. 

()-at-ka creek. Opening, 

Cayuga creek has been defined. 

Ga-na-yat. Silver lake. This at first seems an abbreviated 
form of the word lake, but A. Cusick translated it Stone at the 
bottom of the water. 

Ga-da-o, or Gar-dow, Bank in front, was a recent village on 
the Genesee river, m the town of Castile, and near the land-slide. 
Cusick tells me this means a A/nddy place. The Gardow reser- 
vation was here, and embraced the icoco acres which the Sen- 
ecas reserved in 1797, for Mary Jemison, the celebrated "White 
woman." She died in Sej^tember, 1833, and was buried in the 
old Indian cemetery at Buffalo. 

ChiMiose-heh-geh. On the side (f the Taller. Warsaw. 

Peoria and Wyoming are introduced names. 

YATKS COUNTY. 

Ah-ta-gwehnla-ga, Flint creek 

0-go-ya-ga, Promontory projecting into the lake, from the long 
and elevated Bluff point. Crooked lake, often called Lake Ke- 
u-ka. which probably came from this word, by slightly altering 
the sound of (roya-ga. 

Ke-u-ka. A. Cusick gave this the same meaning as Cayuga, 
Boats drawn out. and it so strongly resembles it in sound tiiat 
it may be the same, \^'e so often change Indian names, ho>v- 
ever, that my conjecture may prove true. Otherwise it might 
refer to a |)ortage. savmg tiie long voyage around the point, 
which is so promment a feature of the lake. 



92 INDIAN NAMES. 

SUPPOSED IROQUOIS TOWNS. 

In Mr. Hale's "Iroquois Book of Rites," is a list of Iroquois 
towns in the condoling song of the Elder Brothers, and these 
are here added from John Buck's manuscript, with the supposed 
meanings. They comprise only the thre;e principal clans, com- 
mon to all of the Six Nations, and each divisiou may include 
those of kindred clans. 

First come those of the Wolf tribe. Karhetyonni, The broad 
woodsx Oghskawaseronhon, Grown up to hushes again; Geadiyo, 
Beautiful plain\ Onenyodeh. Protuding stone; Deseroken, Be- 
tiveen two lives; Tehodijenharakwen, T7iio families in a long 
house, one at each end; Teyoweyendon, Drooping 7vings; Oghre- 
kyonny is of doubtful meaning, but may be Oriskany. 

The following are of the two turtle clans. Kanesadakeh, On 
the hillside; Onkwiiyede, A person standing there. Kahkekdoh- 
hon, Weghkerhon, Thogwenyoh, and Kahhewake, are not de- 
fined. 

In the Bear clan are Deyaohen, The forks; Jonondeseh, // is 
a high hill; Otshwerakeron. Dry branches fallen to the ground: 
Oghnaweron, The springs. 

These were early villages as supposed, and the following were 
added later, being of the same clan: Karhowenghradan, Taken 
over the ivoods; Karaken, White; Deyohero, Place of rushes; 
Deyosweken, Outlet of the river; and Ox-den-ke, To the old 
place. Some of these names will be recognized, and others may 
be alternate names for known villages, but no history records the 
names of all Iroquois towns, even in recent times. The Mo- 
hawks had several, in the seventeenth century, whose names are 
unknown, and the same is true among all the rest. It will be 
observed, however, that less than two villages are assigned to 
each of these clans in each nation, allowing almost nothing for a 
succession of villages. Six towns only are given to the two tur- 



INDIAN NAMES. 93 

tie clans, which are practically one. and this for the whole period 
of Iroquois history. Usually the name went with the town in all 
its removals, but some of the best known names are not in this 
list. 

ADDITIONAL NEW YOK NAMES. 

The following names, mostly of Greene county, I received 
from Mr. Henry Brace, of New York city, too late for insertion 
in their proper place. 

Ma-wig-nack, The place 7vhere two streams meet. The low 
lands at the junction of the Katskill and Katerskill. Also 
spelled Manchwehenoc. 

Och-quich-tok or Ac-qui-tack, supposed to mean a stony place 
A small plain west of the Katskill, opposite Austins"s paper mill. 

There are five plains mentioned in the Catskill patents of 1680 
and 1688, just beyond the stone bridge at Leeds. The first of 
these is Wa-chach-keek, House-land, or Place of wigwams. Wich- 
qua-nach-te-kak is the second. 

Pach-qui-ack is the third, and probably means Clear land. 

As-sis-ko-wach-keek is the fourth. 

Po-tick, the fifth, he supposes to be a 7vater fall. Elsewhere 
It has been given as round. 

Early in the eighteenth century the Indians called the first 
four plains Qua-jack, The Christian corn-land. 

Pas-ca-kook or Pis-ta-kook, was the site of the present village 
of Leeds, and first appears in an Indian deed of 1675. 

Quat-a-wich-na-ack or Ka-ta-wig-nack, supposed to mean 
Place of the greatest oi'crjioic', '\?> di waterfall on the Katerskill, 
near the bridge on the road to High Falls. 

Ma-cha-wa-nick was at the north-east corner of Corlaers Kill 
patent. 

Na-pees-tock, a pond in the west part of Cairo, is equivalent 
to Nip-pis-auke, Small lake place. 

Can-a-senc is the Sager's Kill. 



94 INDIAN NAMKS. 

Pes-quan-ach-qua is now Maquas Hook. 
Ta-bi-gicht and Mag-quam-ka sick are the Sandy Plains in 
South Cairo. 

Po-tani-is-kas-sick was a plain above the last. 
Can-is-kek, a plain west of Athens. 1665. 
Stich-te-kook or Stigh-kook. a plain west of Coxsackie. 

GENERAL INDIAN NAMES. 

Algonquin names naturally prevail along the Atlantic coast, 
with all the usual varieties of dialect, and names originating in 
the same great family are found far inland. Certain teatures of 
these will strike the most careless observer. Michi. with its 
variations, for great; Auke, etc., for iand; Sepe, Gan, and 
Minne, fcr wafet- or river, will be among these, and to the latter 
may be added Hanne, or Hannock. There is no intention now, 
however, to give a treatise on the structure of names, although 
this slight reference to their composition may direct attention to 
their origin. 

Our first clear kno.vledge of the Huron-Iroquois tongue came 
from the French missionaries, who made a study of its various 
dialects at an early day. The Dutch and English did a less 
conspicuous work in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, 
and still more m the nineteenth. Much of the Bible and the 
Prayer Book, and various hymnals and text-books were printed 
in the Iroquois tongue in the course of this work, and all are 
still used. 

Father Bruyas made a vocabulary of the radical words of the 
Mohawk language, at an early day, which is excellent. Zeisber- 
ger's Onondaga dictionary is of far less value, but many other 
writers have supplemented these. A few examples from Bruyas 
may be of interest. Twasentha is a water/an, and Twasenthon 
means to lament, or to ^oan. 'I'he latter seems a poetic adap- 
tation, as though the falling water suggested falling tears, or the 



INDIAN NAMKS. 95 

hollow sound resembled a mourner's groans. In this way the 
application of this name to Norman's Kill might refer either to 
the stream, or a neighboring burial place. 

Askati means one side ; Skannatati, the other side, and thence 
we have the name of Schenectadv. Garonta is a tree; and Ga- 
rontiagon, to strike a tree. Oiiare is to wash; and Gaksohare, 
to 7vasJt a plate. This word will be recognized in Schoharie and 
Canajoharie. 

While Indian .Agent, Sir William Johnson pointed out some 
features of these combinations. Echin meant a ?>ia/i. and Go- 
wana, great. Thence was formed Echingowana, a great nian. 
Caghyunghaw was a creek, and Caghyungha a river; thence 
were derived Caghyunghaowana, a great river, and Caghyung- 
heo, a jitie river. Haga stood for the inhabitants of a place, 
and Tierhan for the morning. Thence the people of the eastern 
countries were called Tierhansaga, People of the morning, or 
Eastern people 

Mr. L. H. Morgan gave some examples of these combinations 
in the Seneca dialect. Oya 'v> fruit, and Ogauh is sweet; from 
these comes Oyagauh. sioeet fruit. 

From (ianosote, house, and Weyo, good, comes Ganoseyo, a 
good house, A more erratic combination is from Ganundayeh, a 
village, aud Newaah, small, from which results Neganundaah, a 
small village. 

I have noticed that the Onondagas use Goona and Gowa al- 
most indifferently for great. Usually a syllable is dropped in 
combination. Thus the Onondaga name for the soft maple is 
Ahwehhotkwah. Red flower, from Ahwehhah, flower, and Hot- 
kwah. red. It is usual to place the adjective after the noun. 
Names are often derived from resemblances. The Onondaga 
name for the bobolink is Neettus, a skunk, from having the col- 
ors of that animal. 

A few general names follow, but only those of which the mean- 



9^ INDIAN NAMKS. 

ing can be given, while many of little importance are omitted, 
though their sense is known. As before, poetic interpretations 
are not to be expected, and Mark Twain had the right idea, if 
no more, in speaking of one well known name. "'Tahoe means 
grasshoppers. It means grasshopper soup. It is Indian, and 
suggestive of Indians. People say that Tahoe means 'Silver 
lake.' 'Limpid water,' 'Falling leaf.' Bosh! It means grasshop- 
per soup, the favorite dish of the Digger tribe." 

Was-to-heh-no is the present Onondaga name for the United 
States, meaning the People of Boston^ probably from their prom- 
inence at the time of the Revolution. The Iroquois had no 
labials, and Wasto seems an attempt to pronounce Boston, the 
remainder of the word referring to the people. 

Ashaagoona, Big knife, or S^n'oni, is now their name for Penn- 
sylvania and the states farther south. It was formerly given to 
Virginia, and is thus described in the conference of 1721: "As- 
sarigoe, the name of the Governors of Virginia, which signifys a 
Simeter or Cutlas, which was given to Lord Howard, anno 1684, 
from the Dutch word Hower, a Cutlas." The name however, is 
purely Iroquois, but thence came the term of '-Long Knives," 
rather than from Gen. Wayne's campaign. The Iroquois were 
fond of playing upon words. 

The name for Pennsylvania is thus described in the same con- 
ference: "Onas, which signifies a Pen in the language of the 5 
Nations, by which name they call all the Governors of Pennsyl- 
vania, since it was first settled by William Penn." 

The Iroquois name for Massachusetts, in 1724. meant Broad- 
way. The Governor was Yehowanne in 174S. 

Jaquokranaegare was a name used by the same people for 
Maryland, in 1684. 

Manhatans and Corlaer were frequent names for New York. 
The former was a Delaware name, and the latter came from a 
Dutchman who was a great favorite with the Mohawks. 



IXDIAN NAMES. 97 

Massachusetts is Blue hilh\ accgrding to Roger Williams, but 
others have defined it Much momitaifi place. The meanings are 
reconcilable. 

Connecticut has varied from the old pronunciation, and is de- 
fined Loiii^ rive}\ or Laud at loug tidal river. 

Kansas has been interpreted Smoky ivaters, but some such 
definitions may not be correct, and many of the following must 
be taken for what they are worth. 

In the same way Iowa has been rendered Sleepy ones, hardly 
the name for a wide awake State. It has also been interpreted 
Beautiful land. The lowas called themselves Pahucha, Dusty 
/loses. 

Kentucky is an Iroquois word, and is variously rendered Head 
of a river., Prairies, Among the meadoivs. I had it from Albert 
Cusick as Kentahkee, Big S^oamp. Yates and Moulton defined 
it River of blood. 

Minnesota is interpreted Cloudy icater, or that which is slight- 
ly whitish. 

Nebraska is rendered Shallow water, and also the Place of 
broad 7ViUers, these being naturally shallow. 

Tennessee, The river of the great bend. It was often called 
the River of the Cherokees. 

Wisconsin. Wild, rushing river. The French termed it the 
Beautiful river. 

The meaning of Oregon has been much discussed. Jonathan 
Carver heard of a river by this name m 1766, but it does not 
belong to the Oregon dialects, though Okanagan is a river in 
that State. The former name may have come from an Algon- 
quin dialect, with the. meaning of Great 7vater. Carver men- 
tioned it as a great river flowing into the Pacific, and called it 
-Oregon, or the river of the West." W. C. Bryant first used it 
after Carver, in his poem of "Thanatopsis," written in 1817. 
Some have thou2,ht it came from Origanum, an herb, but this is 



98 INDIAN NAMES. 

an error. Nor does it come from the Spanish word, Huracan, a 
wind, derived from the Mexican, and famihar to us as hurricane. 
A popular interpretation has been from the Spanish word Orejon, 
A pulling of the ear or Lop ears. Bancroft decides against this, 
on good grounds, and Carver's first meaning should be accepted 
in a general way. A full discussion of this will be found in Ban- 
croft's Pacific States. 

Alabama is usually called The place of rest ^ or Here we rest. 
It has also been rendered Thicket clearers, as though cleared up 
for an abiding place. When interpreted A place of rest, as seems 
best, the reference is to the sluggish nature of the lower part of 
the river. 

Arizona has been derived from Arizonac, a native name for a 
place on the frontier of Sonera. It is capable of several proper 
interpretations, and among these are Maiden^ s valley. Place of 
feu> fountains. 

Alaska has a flavor of both the American and Siberian coasts, 
but came from the latter. It is now an English corruption of 
the original Alaksha, Great land. 

Mississippi is plainly the Great river, from Missi, great, and 
Sepe, river. The Onondagas call it Kahnahweyokah, with the 
same meaning. 

Missouri, Great muddy river. 

Michigan, Great water. 

Dakota, Many nations united in one government ; or more sim- 
ply, Confederate people. 

Idaho has been derived from two Nez Perce words, Edah and 
Hoe, Light on the mountains, from the first appearance of sun- 
light on the high peaks, and thence has come the fanciful inter- 
pretation. Gem of the mountain. 

Wyoming, Broad plains, from those on the Susquehanna. The 
Iroquois name means essentially the same, and is properly Scha- 



INDIAN NAMES. 99 

hentoa, or Schahendowane, Great plains. In the report of a 
council in 1775 it is written Scanandanani. 

Arkansas would probably differ but little from Kansas. The 
Arkansas Indians were the early Quapaws. 

Illinois is Real men, a name assumed by many Indian tribes. 
The Ongwe Honwe ot the Six Nations meant the same thing. 

Ohio, Beautiful river. It has quite as much the meaning of 
that which is good or great, and in this way is used to express 
fruit, something attractive to the sight and taste. 

Utah has been defined They who live on the mountains., but I 
am under the impression that it has a more prosaic meaning. 
Ikvellers in the mountains, however, has good authority. 

Texas was known by this name to La Salle, who visited it in 
1687. 

Mexico is from Mexitli, the tutelary divinity of the nation. 
Quebec is often rendered Fearful rock, but Charievoix said 
that the name '' in the Algonquin language signifies a strait or 
narrowing. The Abenaquis, whose language is a dialect of the 
Algonquin, call it Quelibec, that is to say, shut up," because as 
they approached the port of Quebec it appeared like a great 
bay. The name of Te-kia-tan-ta-ri-kon, T-a>in or Double moun- 
tain, has also been given to the town. 

Potomac has been defined J'lace of burning pines, and also, 
They are coming by water, which are sufficiently different for a 
choice. In 1722 the Iroquois called the river Kahongoronton. 
It has been rendered Pathamook, People arriving by water. 
Agioochook, Place of the Great Spirit of the forest. 
Monadnock, Place of spirits. 
Amoskeag. Fishing place. 
Cohasset. /'lace of pines. 
Mernmac, .Sn'ift water. 
Xa'-hua does not at first seem an Indian name, but with its 



lOO INDIAN NAMES. 

equivalent, Nashuock. it is defined W/iere water runs m'er the 

stones. 

Pa\y tucket. Where there arc many deer; and also, At the falls. 

Housatonic, River beyond the mountains. 

Katahdin, Great, or Chief mountain. Rendered also, Hi,^h- 
est land, the sense being often given instead of the literal mean-, 
ing. 

Penobscot, Rocky river., or Falls of tht* rock. 

Chesapeake, with its early form of Cicapoa. has been inter- 
preted Great ivaters, and A place where a large body of still 
water is spread out. 

Aroostook, Good river. 

Muskingum. Elk's eye. according to Heckewelder. Some say 
that It means A town on the river side, and that the Shawnee 
name, Wakatamo sepe, means the same. These Indians also 
called the Ohio, Kiskepila sepe, or Eagle river. 

Ossjpee. Stony river. 

Winnepiseogee, or Winnepesaukee, j?^^<r// ///>// A? Xv of the high- 
lands. Whittier calls it 77/!<^' .>■;// /'Aw7/7//^ Great Spirit. It has 
also been defined Good ivater outlet. 

Pemigewasset, Crooked place of many pines. 

Pennacook, Crooked place. 

Pentucket, Crooked place of deer. 

Fiscsitsiquog, Rlace of many deer. Although having good au- 
thority, some of these definitions have a doubtful look. 

Squam, The 7vater; a name occurring by itself and in combina- 
tions. 

Cataraqui, usually defined as Fort in the water, but given me 
as a Bank of clay rising from the water. Kingston, in Canada. 
The Indians applied this to Fort Frontenac, and thence to the 

lake. 

Chicago, Wild garlic, but meaning also A skunk. It is sup- 
posed to have its name from the early abundance of these odor- 
ous vegetables. 



(N'OrAN NAMKS. ■ lOI 

Montreal, the ancient Hochelaga. has been called Oserake. 
Bi'avir daiiu but more conmionly Tiotiake, which Morgan de- 
fines Aliitosf hroki'u. The meaning given me, however, was 
Deep 'uuittr beside s/itj/Zoic, referring to the still water below the 
rapids. In Hochelaga the last two syllables probably refer to 
people. I have no eciuivalent for the rest. 

Mississipiii, Great or //lany mouths, as of a river. Quite a 
class of words exists with the same prefix. 

Ottawa. Traders. This word has changed much from the 
original form, and was given by the French to several nations. 

Shawnee. Southern people., or place. This nation was so mi- 
gratory that its members have been termed American Gipsies. 
For this reason the name is found in many parts, Suwanee. Se- 
wanee, and other forms being familiar. 

Accomac has been assigned two meanings, one of which is As 
Jar as the woods reaeh. The other is quite different, but seems 
the true one : On the other side, as of the Chesapeake. , 

Winnipeg is Dirty or Foul water. The meaning of this is old 
and interesting, but was more strictly Stinking water ; that is, 
not fresh. In the Jesuit Relation of 1639^40, it is said, "Now 
they (the Algonquins) thus call the waters of the sea; therefore 
these people call themselves Ouinipigou, because they came 
froR) the shores of a sea of which we have no knowledge ; and 
consequently we must not call them the Nation of the Stinkards, 
but the Nation of the Sea." This is several times related in the 
old chronicles. 

Winnebago. Filthv, is much like the last : indeed it is nearly 
identical with the early form. 

Kineo. Flint, is much like the Mohawk word. 
Keokuk, Watchful fox, the name of a noted chief of this cen- 
tury. Also Run)ii)ig fox. 
K enosha is simply Pickerel. 
Piscataquis. Branch of a river. 



I02 INDIAN NAMES. 

Piscataway, // is growing dark. 

Winona Is said to mean First born, if a daughter. 

Yankton, Town at the end. 

Keweenaw, Portage of canoes. 

Yemassee, Gentle. 

Yazoo is rendered Leafy. 

Lackawanna, Forks of streams. The Iroquois called this 
Haziroth. 

Lackauwaxen, Forks of road. 

Lycoming, Sandy creek. 

Wissahickon, Catfish stream. 

Wyalusing, Home of the old warrior. 

Chesuncook, Where many streams enter in. Another defini- 
tion is Big lake. Still another is derived from Chesunk or 
Schunk, a goose, and Auke, a place. 

Sebago, Large open water. 

Umbagog, Lake doubled up, from its form. 

Minnehaha, Laughing water. 

Assineboin, Stone roaster, from the custom of heating stones 
for cooking. 

Sacs, Those who emigrated. This is derived from Osaukee, 

They went out of the land. 

Saginaw, from Sacenong, Country of the Sacs. It is also de- 
fined Pouring out at the mouth, perhaps in reference to this em- 
igration, or the flowing out of the water. It suggests Oswego 
and its meaning. 

Saco, Pouring out, is suggestive in the same way. 

Ojibway or Chippewa, from Odji and Bwa, Toice and gather- 
ing up. 

Menominee, Wild rice Indian, from Monomonick, Wild rice. 

Pawnee, Shaved heads, the scalp lock alone being left. 
Arapaho, Good hearts. 

Cherokee is said to mean Fire nation. Their own name was 
Tsaraghee. 



INDIAN NAMES. IO3 

Tupelhocken, Land of turtles or Plenty of turtles. 

Kittatiny hills, Endless hills, is also defined Great mountain. 
These and kindred words have conflicting definitions, as will be 
seen, though with a certain harmony. 

Kittaning or Kittany, Chief town, or Large stream. In the 
form of Kithanne, or Largest stream, it was applied to the Del- 
aware, and may signify prominence of any kind. 

Pahaquarry, End of tivo mountains, with a stream between 
them, as at the Delaware Water Gap. 

Passaic, A valley. 

Ramai)o relates to the many tributary round ponds. 

Pequannock, Dark river. 

Raritan, Forked river. 

Kearsarge, Pointed pine mountains. 

Hock-hocking, Place of a bottle like a gourd. Hocking is 
contracted from this. 

Chepachet, Where they separate. 

Cheyenne, Speaking a different language. 

Kennebec, Large water place. 

Narragansett. Roger Williams could get no distinct meaning 
for this, only learning that the name came from a small island. 
The most probable definition seems At the point, but some have 
called it The other side of the river, and others, Smooth water 
place. 

Mystic, Great stream. 

Naugatuck, One tree. 

Milwaukee, Good land. From Mannawahkie. 

Mauch Chunk, Bear mountain. 

Monacan, A spade. 

Monocacy, Stream with many large bends. 

Monongahela, LLigh banks breaking off and falling. It comes 
from Mehmannauwinggehlau, Many land slides. 

Ashtabula has been rendered Fish creek. 



104 INDIAN NAMK5. 

Tuscarawas has been defined Open mouthy but is apparently 
the same as Tuscarora, Wearing a shirt. 

Canada is literally a village, and the meaning is Where they 
live. It was probably the word which Cartier most frequently 
heard on the St. Lawrence applied to the homes of the people. 
It is a Mohawk word. Perhaps because the villages were most- 
ly on streams, one name for creek scarcely differs from this. 

Maskoutens was defined Fire nation, or Place of fire., in 1670. 
Charlevoix interpreted this a.?, prairies, which owe their origin to 
fire. 

Gananoqui, in Canada, has been interpreted Wild potatoes, or 
ground nuts, but it is also rendered Kahnonnokwen, Meadow 
rising out of the 7vater. 

Toronto, or Thorontohen, Timber on the 7i>aters. Morgan 
gives it as Deondo, Log floating npon the water. It is quite an 
old name in its present form, appearing on early maps. 

Shamokin and Shackama.xon are both defined Place of eels. 

Seminole, Rjmaway ; a name given this people because they 
left the Creeks. It is derived from Isti semole. Wild men. 

Sheboygan, River flowing out of the ground. 

Shenandoah, Spruce stream. 

Tobyhanna, Alder stream. 

Yantic. One side of the tidal rivtr. 

Youghiogheny, Stream "which runs round about. 

Kenziia, They. gobble. 

Loyalhanna, A fiddle stream. 

Loyalsock, Middle creek. 

Octarora, Where presents laiere given, a place naturally long 
rememliered. 

Roanoke was called Konentcheneke by the Iroquois in 1722. 
Chickahominy, Turkey creek. . • 
Chickamauga, River of death. 

Chigoes, Oldest planted gro unit., 3.n early name for BurUngton, 
New Jerse)'. 



INDIAN NAMKS. I05 

Geauga, Raccoon. Tliis was originally Sheauga sepe, or Rac- 
coon river. 

Walhonding river, White uioman. 

Cuyahoga, Crooked^ but the earlier forms are more like the 
Iroquois word for creek, or river. 

Cu}aIioga Falls were called Coppacow, defined as Shedding 
fears. 

Miami, a name for mother in Ottawa. 

Suckasunny, Black creek. 

Whippany, Arrow creek 

Neshannockj T7U0 streams near each other. 

Niantic, Fiver 7vhere the tide flows. 

Niobrara, ^road river. 

Nipsic, Place of a pool. 

Nockamixon, At the five houses. 

Omaha, Up stream. 

Patapsco, Black ituiter. 

Powhatan, At the falls 0/ the stream. Powathanne, the James 
river, differs but slightly from this, yet has been interpreted Fii'er 
of pregnancy. 

Pensacola, Hair people. 

?c(\\\o^. Destroyer. New London, in Connecticut, was called 
Pequot, and also Mameeag and Tawawog. 

Pocasset, IVherQ the strait expands. 

Quantico, jDancing. 

Rappahannock, Current returning a)id flowing again. 

Muskegoe, S^uamp. 

Tuscaloosa, from Tushka, Warrior, and Lusa, black. 

Tampa, Close to it. 

Tombigbee. Coffin makers, though this seems an odd meaning 
for an Indian name. 

Towanda, At the burying place. 

Venango had its name from an obscene picture painted on a 
tree, by the stream. 



io6 INDIAN NAMES. 

Wampanoag, East land. 

Wheeling. Although this has every appearance of an Europe- 
an name, yet it has been derived, by some, from Whilink. At the 
head of the river. 

Willimantic, Good cedar sivamp. 

Skippack, Stinking pool. 

Tamaqua, Beaver creek. 

Tunkhannock and Tunkhanna, Smaller stream. 

Moyamensing, Maize land. 

Natchez, One running to war. 

Ocoligo, Where snakes hibernate in holes. 

Absecumb bay, Plenty of swans. 

Chillicothe was the name of a principal tribe of the Shawnees, 
transferred to the town. 

Catasauqua, Thirsty land. 

Catawissa, Becoming fat. 

Andes has been said to mean Copper, or metal in general. 

Apache, Poor. In the Indian sign language the appropriate 
gesture for this expresses extreme poverty. The name itself is 
from Eepache, Man. 

Machhanne, Largest stream. 

Mahoning is Place of the lick, and Mahanoy is simply the lick 
itself. 

Matapony, No bread to be had. 

Nepaug is Fish pond. 

Otsiketa was a name for Lake St. Clair. 

Teton, Dweller on the plains, as it is said. It seems quite 
doubtful. 

Tippecanoe, At the great clearing. 

Monayunk, ^//<zr(f <7/'r«»/, is one of several names for Phil- 
adelphia. Coaquannock, Grore of tall pine trees, has been given 
as another. 

Sandusky. The Wyandots said \\. meaxxi At the cold water. 



I 



INDIAN NAMKS. 107 

It has also been rendered Saundustee, JVnfer within water pools. 
It is an early name, being called Sandosquet in 1718. 

Cussawago, Snake with a large belly. 

Conewago, rendered Long strip, but it has been defined more 
properly as the rapids. 

Ontonagon. This fine name, according to Schoolcraft, had a 
very simple origin. There is a small bay at the mouth of the 
river. •' An Indian woman had left her wooden dish, or Onagon, 
on the sands, at the shore of this little bay, where she had been 
engaged. On commg back from her lodge, the out flowing cur- 
rent had carried off her valued utensil. Nia Nin-do-nau-gon ! 
she exclaimed, for it was a curious piece of workmanship. That 
is to say — Alas ! my dish !" 

Conneaut has been rendered Afany fish, and also // is long; 
since they met. Conneauet lake, Sno7v lake. There is some 
ground for the second definition, but all may be wrong. 

Hackensack has been defined Streams gradually uniting in 
low land, which is expressive. Some simply call it Low land. 

Piqua is the name of a Shawnee tribe, signifying A ?nanfortn- 
ed of ashes. The Shawnees were seated around a great fire at 
their annual feast, and when this burned down there was a great 
puffing in the ashes. Out of these came a mature man, who 
was the first of the Piqua tribe. From this name Pickaway is 
derived. 

Agamenticus may be defined Beyond the river. 

Nipissing, Still waters, and Place of waters. 

In 1673 there were some Iroquois villages on the north side 
of Lake Ontario. Oanatoheskiagon was at Port Hope: Gan- 
eraski at the mouth of Trent river : Kente at the Bay of 
Quinte, and Ganeious at Nappane. These were mostly oc- 
cupied by Cayugas. 

The Minatarees are the People of the 7c>illows. 

The Mandans. or Michtanees. were the People of th^ bank. 



Io8 INDIAN NAMES. 

They called themselves however, See-pohs-nu-mah-kah-kee, Peo- 
ple of the pheasant. Catlin adopted the idea that they were 
partly descended from the Welsh companions of Prince Madoc, 
of traditional fame, and conjectured that the name of Mandan 
was derived from Madawgwys, Folloqaers of Madoc. Curious 
and prevalent as has been the story of the Welsh Indians, it 
seems to have a very slender foundation. 

The Sioux called the Winnebagoes, Hotanke, Big-voiced peo- 
ple. 

In addition to the accepted definition, Mohegan has been ren- 
dered The good canoe ?nen, by Catlin. 

The Delawares call themselves Lenape, Peal men., like many 
others. In the transactions of the Buffalo Historical Society, 
for 1885, is a statement by some Delawares of Canada, which 
differs much from others. The Senecas termed the Delawares, 
Dyo-hens-govola, From whence the morning springs. 

The Delawares said : " We often speak of ourselves as the 
Wapanachki, or People of the morning., in allusion to our 
supposed eastern origin. Our traditions affirm that at the 
period of the discovery of America our nation resided on the is- 
land of New York. We called that island Manahatouh, The 
place where timber is procured for Innvs and arrows. The word 
is compounded of N'manhumin, I gather, and tanning, At the 
place. At the lower end of the island was a grove of hickory 
trees, of peculiar strength and toughness. Our fathers held this 
timber in high esteem, as material for constructing bows, war 
clubs, etc. When we were driven back by the whites, our nation 
became divided into two bands; one was termed Minsi, The 
great stone ; the other was called Wenawmien, Doivn the river, 
they being located farther down the stream than our settlement. 
We called the Susquehanna, Athethquanee, The roily river. 
The Monongahela was called Mehmannauwinggehlau, Afany 
landslides. The Alleghany mountains were called by us Allicke- 



INDIAN NAMES. IO9 

wany, He is leaving us and may )iever reti/7-n. Reference is 
made, I suppose, to departing hunters or warriors, who were 
about to enter the ])asses of those rugged mountains." 

Besides other meanings, Algonquin has been derived from Al- 
gomequin, Those on the other side of the river. 

The Caddo Indians have their name from Kaede, A chief. 

The Chitimacha, a Louisiana tribe, have their name from 
tchuti and masha. They possess cooking vessels. 

Eskimo is from Eskimantik, Eaters of raw flesh. 

Kiowa has been defined as a rat and as z. prairie hen. 

Sioux is a corruption of Nadowessiwag, a term of reproach, 
meaning The snake-like ones or The eJiemies. 

Apalachian and xA.palachicola are from the Apalaches, a tribe 
mentioned by De Soto. From this people the Spaniards gave 
the name of Apalachin to a species of Cassia. 

Yuma, Sons of the river. 

Zuni, People of the long nails, because the Zuni surgeons keep 
their finger nails long. 

Athapasca, Place of hay and reeds. 

Attacapa, Man eater. 

Anahuac is said to mean Near the 7(.iater. 

Osceola, Black drink. 

Tucson is probably Black creek. 

Otonabee river comes from the name of a fish. 

Wapsipinicon river from an edible nut of that name. 

Oshkosh was the name of one great division of the Sacs and 
Foxes. 

Nicaragua was the name of a great chief whom Gonzales met 
in 1522. The lake was called Cocibolca. 

In the New England States the old Indian names of manj 

places are known, but are disused, and some have been trans- 
ferred to other places. In Massachusetts, Charlestown was 
Mishawum : Oxford, Manchage ; Rehoboth, Secunk ; Lynn, 



no INDIAN NAMES. 

Saugus; Dorchester, Mattapan; Milton, Unquety; Salem, 
Naumkeag ; Plymouth, Patuxet ; Pembroke, Namasakeeset : 
Falmouth, Sokonesset ; New Bedford, Acushnett. 

The early name of Boston was Shawmut ; Natick was the 
Place of hills, and others might be cited. 

In Connecticut, Simsbury was Mussauco ; Guilford, Menun- 
katuck : New Haven, Quilliapiack. 

Providence, R. I., was originally Mooshausick. 
Martha's Vineyard was Nope, and also Capawack. 
Detroit, or the Strait, as the French termed it, was called 
Teuchsagrondie by the Iroquois, The turned chantiel. The 
Chippewa name was Waweatunong, with the same meaning. In 
the early form it was Wamyachtenock. 

Winooski river is the Onion river of Vermont. 
Navajo means both a pool, and a level piece of ground, being 
expressive of flatness. It has thus been rendered Lake people 
and corn-field people, but might be supjwsed to be descriptive 
of their celebrated blankets, when stretched in the loom. 

Mobile comes from Mavilla, a village mentioned by Garci- 
lasso de la Vega, in his history of Florida. In De Soto's day 
the Mauvilians were very powerful. 

Charlevoix gives Michinipi, Great tcater, as the Indian name 
of Lake Superior. 

Schoolcraft has it Gitshiguma, with tlie same meaning. In a 
foot note in Tanner's Narrative, it is said, *' Lakes of the largest 
class are called by the Ottawwaws, Kitchegawme ; of these they 
reckon five; one which tliey commonly call Ojil)beway Kitche- 
gawme, Lake Superior; two Ottawwaw Kitchegawme, Huron 
and Michigan ; and Erie and Ontario. Lake Winnipeg, and the 
countless lakes in the north-west, they call Sahkiegunnun." Their 
name for a small lake is Sahkiegun. 

The Chi|)pewas termed the xMinnetarees. the Agutchaninne- 
wug, or Settled people. 



INDIAN NAMES. Ill 

Pembinah was Nebeninnah-ne-sebee, High cranberry river. 
The Chippewas call Montreal, Moneong. 
The Nottoways were called Rattlesnakes. 
Tanner calls tne Sioux, Roasters. 

Minisotah means Turbid 7vater,hy cox^\x^.c\\oxi Mendote mini- 
sotah became Mendota. 

In Capt. George B. McClellan's general report on the western 
division of the survey of the Cascades, in Washington Territory, 
1853, he gives a large uumber of Indian names, but without 
their meanings. He says, "The Indian names of these streams, 
lakes, prairies, etc., were carefully obtained by Mr. Gibbs, dur- 
ing the trip. They have been adopted in the map and the re- 
ports as preferable to any names we could give them ; partly for 
the purpose of endeavoring to perpetuate them, and partly for 
the reason that they will be of service to persons travelling 
through the country." Mr. Gibbs also gave the names of the 
Indian tribes, with their location. 

Carver gave the meaning of Michilimackinac as Tortoise, but 
the prefix meant Great, and his definition properly belongs to 
the usual contracted form of the word. According to hini, the 
Indian name of Lake Pepin is Wakonteebe, Dwelling of the 
Great Spirit. In his vocabulary, Wakaigon, Fort, might be ap- 
plied to Waukegan. 

Col. Dodge gives the names of several Indian tribes and bands- 
Yankton is Ullage at the end; the Brules are the Burnt thighs ; 
the Ogallallas are the Wanderers; the Cheyennes are the Pai- 
kandoos or Cut wrists ; the Arrapahoe.s, Dirty noses ; the Kio- 
was, Prairie men; and the Comanches, Serpents. 

It would be an endless task to give the true or conjectural 
meanings of all the remaining Imlian names of this land. Those 
which survive are vastly more in number than is commonly sup- 
posed, and they are among our very best, as far as sound goes. 
Of a large proportion the meanings cannot be recovered. 



Onondara Names of Plants and 
Animals. 



' I ^HE Rev. Albert Cusick suggested to me that Indian names 
-■■ should not be confined to mere Enghsh equivalents, but 
should be defined. A good beginning was made in this way, but we 
soon found it was impossible to recover the meanings of many. 
The difficulty will be appreciated by studying our own common 
names. Why is a fish thus called? What was the first meaning 
of a bird? While the original design thus failed, the actual re- 
sults were too valuable to be lost, and there may come no better 
opportunity for their publication and preservation than that now 
aftorded. 

Indian names, being descriptive, are not everywhere the same, 
even in the same language or its dialects, and yet the name will 
be recognized by all. One of the Six Nations calls the elephant, 
" That great naked animal," while another terms it the " Beast 
with a long nose." In a similar way our common names of 
plants are not everywhere the same, but are readily recognized 
when descriptive. 

It is curious to see hovv many names of plants and animals 
have liecome obsolete through disuse by the Indians. Since 
they have been practically confined to their reservations they 
have lost all knowledge of some plants not found upon them. 



114 INDIAN NAMES. 

Nor does tlieir early knowledge seem as great as has been 
supposed. One name will answer for several things which look 
much alike, and many species are unnoticed. Of some plants, 
reputed to be of medicinal use among them, they seem to have 
no knowledge. 

Cowslip, (Caltha,) Ka-nah-wah-hawks, // opens the swamps, 
•from blossoming in the spring. 

Blood-root, Ua-\veh-ne-quen-chuks, It breaks blood. 

Strawberry, Noon-tak-tek-hah-kwa, Groiving where the ground 
is burned, or Knoll burned. 

Gooseberry, Ska-hens-skah-he-goo-na, Large currant. The 
wild kind has also something to express the thorny fruit. 

Wild grape, Oh-heun-kwe-sa, Long vine. 

Cultivated grape, Oh-heun-kwe-sa-goo-na ; Goona meaning 
large. 

Burdock, Oo-nuh-kwa-sa-wa nehs, Big burr. 

Stick-tights, Ne-uh-noo-kwa-sa sa-ah, Small btirr. 

Red clover, Ah-seh-ne-u-neh-toon-tah, Three leaves. The 
white clover adds the word for white. 

Timothy grass, Oh-teh-a-hah, Tail at the end. 

Jack in the pulpit, Kah-a-hoo sa, Indian cradle. This is very 
good, the Indian cradle board having a bow near the ujjper end, 
over which a covering is drawn to protect the baby's head. 

Ja-e-goo-nah, White or sweet cherry, Big cherry. 

Choke cherry, Ne-a-tah-tah-ne, Something that chokes. 

Pear, Koon-de-soo-kwis, Long lip. 

Peaches, Oo-goon-why-e, Hairy. 

Cucumber, Oot-no-skwi-ne, With prickles. 

Musk melon, AVah-he-yah-yees, Thing that gets ripe, from 
changing its color. 

Water melon, Oo-neoh-sa-kah-te, Green melon, or Melon eaten 
raw. 

Squash. This itself is a New England Indian name. In On- 



INDIAN NAMF.S. II5 

ondaga it is ()o-neoh-sah-ooii-\ve, 17ie real )}u'lon ; peihaps that 
7Ci/iii'/i they jirst had. 

Skoni3tose, a name for tomatoes derived from our own. 

Boneset, Da-uh-kah-tah-ais-te, Leaves that come toi^ether, an 
expressive name. 

The wild onion has a long name, Oo noh-sah-kah-hah-koon-wa- 
ha, Onion that grows ill the ivoods. Oonohsah is simi)ly onion 
and from this comes the name of leeks, growing in low lands, 
Oo-noh-so-yah, A queer onion. 

Lettuce is Oo-na-tah-kah-te, Ka7v leaj\ that is, one that is 
eaten raw. 

O-je-kwa for the turnip, is Round or Hammer root. 

The beet is Oke-ta-ha, Root. By adding syllables distinctions 
are made in kinds. 

The yellow lady's slipper, or moccasin tiovver, is Kwe-ko-heah- 
o-tah-qua, W'hippoorwill shoe., Oddly enough this is a New 
England name for the same plant. 

Ginseng is Da-kieiv-too keh. The forked plant., from its root. 

May-apple, or mandrake, is 0-na-\viien-stah, Soft fruit. 

The soft maple is Ah-weh-hot-kwah, The red flower., from Ah 
weh-hah.y/^m^r, and Hot-kwah, red. 

0-neh-tah is the pine, Like porcupines holding to a stick, from 
the needle-like leaves spreading out. 

O-ne-tah, the hemlcck s|jruce, means Greens on a stick. 

O-wah-kwens tah, milkweed, is iM/lk that sticks to the fingers. 

Ta-keah-noon-wi-tahs is the name of violets. It means T7vo 
heads entangled., in allusion to their childish game of interlocking 
the rtovvers, and pulling them apart. The Cherokee name for 
this flower is much like this in meaning. 

SHppery elm, Oo-hoosk-ah, Lt slips. The Iroquois made their 
canoes out of the bark of this. 

Swa-hu-na, the apple tree, means Big apple, by contrast with 
thorns 



Il6 INDIAN NAMES. 

Yellow willow, Cheek-kwa-ne-u-hoon-too-te, Yellow tree. 

Red osier, Kwen-tah-ne-uhoon-too-te, Red tree. 

Witch hazel, Oo-eh-nah-kwe-ha-he, Spotted stick. 

Spice bush, Da-wah-talvahn-yuks, Stick that breaks itself; 
that is, one that is brittle. 

Sassafras, Wah-eh-nah-kas, Smelliiig stick. 

Green osier, probably either Viburnum or Cornus, Tweh-ha- 
he-he. Broken flower., or leaf. 

Bull thistle, Ooch-ha-nehtoo-wah-neks, Many big tbistles. 

Thistle, Ooch ha-ne-tah, Something that pricks. 

Canada thistle, Ooch-ha-ne-tas-ah, Small thistle. 

Thimble berry, O-nah-joo-kwa-goona, Big cap. 

Red raspberry, O-nah-joo-kwa, Caps. 

Blackberry, Sa-he-is, Loiig berry. 

Huckleberry, O-heah-che, Black berry. 

Poke weed, Oo-juh-gwah-sah, Color 7veed. 

Canoe Birch, Ga-nah-jeh-kwa, Birch that makes canoes. 

Basswood, Ho-ho-sa, It peels. The inner bark of this is much 
used for fine strings and mats. 

Chestnut, O-heh-yah-t ah. Prickly burr. Add goona for horse 
chestnut. 

Peppermint, Kah-nah-noos-tah, Colder, or That which makes 

you cold, in allusion to the first sensation. Spearmint has the 

same name, but is distinguished by naming the stem. 

Wild thorn. Je kah-ha-tis. Long eye-lash; that is. Long 

thorns. 

Sarsaparilla. Ju-ke-tadiis, Long root. Other ])lants have this 

name. 

Elder. Oo-sa-ha, Frost on the bush. 

Partridge berry. Noon-yeah ki e-oo-nah-yeah. The name is 

the same as with us, the first four syllables being the name of the 

bird. 

Moss. 0-weh-a-stah, or Owenstah, Growing all over. Lichens 

have the same name. 



INDIAN NAMES. II 7 

AN'intergreen. Ivali nah-koon-sah-gas, Jji/r/i s//n'////i^i^, p/a/if. 

Plantain. 'I'u-hah-ho-e, If coiners the road. 

Iioiivv'ood. Skien-tah-gus-tah, Evcr/astiiig ivood. 

Aspen. Nut-ki-e, A'oisy leaf. 

Catnip. Ta-koos-ka-na-tuks. Cat catini:^ leaf. 

Tulip tree. Ko-yen-ta-ka ah-ta. White tree. 

Creeping blackberry. 0-kah-hak-wah, An eye, or Ball of an 
eye. 

Tamaiack. Ka-neh-tens, Tlie leaves fall, it being our only de- 
ciduoiLS conifer. The name of tamarack or hackmatack is an 
Algonquin word. 

Eal^^ani fir. Cho-koh-ton, Blisters, on the bark. 

Fla.x. Oo-skah, Thread like, ox Alakiihj; threads. 

Water beech. 0-tan-tahr-te-weh, A lean tree. This is very 
expressive, the tree looking like a very thin beech. 

Black laspberry. Teu-tone-hok toon, The plajit that bends over 

Ginseng. Da-kieen-too-keh, The forked plant. In the Oneida 
tongue this is Ka-lan-dag-gough. 

May apple, or Mandrake, 0-na-when-stah, Soft fruit. 

Mullein. Ki-sit-hi, Flannel. Also, Oo-da-teach-ha. Stoehini^'s, 

Yellow dock. Tea-tah, She stands over yonder. 

Sycamore. Oo-da-te-cha-wun-nes, Big stockings. Ka-nen- 
skwa is another name. 

White oak. Ki-en-tah-eh-tah, White looking tree. 

Hop. Ah-weh-hah, Flower. It is 0-je-jea in Oneida, Like a 
flozver. 

Dicentra, including Dutchman's breeches, and Squirrel corn. 

Hah-ska-nah-ho-ne-hah, Ghost corn or food for ghosts. A good 
name for this spectral flower. 

White wake rol)in. 0-je-gen-stah, Wrinkles on the forehead. 
I'he purple species is only distinguished by color, and its reputed 
medicinal virtues seemed unknown to the Onondagas. I was 
surprised at this, but their l)est medicine woman knew nothing 
of it in her practice. 



Il8 INDIAN NAMKS. 

Elecampane, or perhaps Artichoke, Ook-ta-ha-wa-ne, Big roof 
This has anotlier name, Kah-a-wa-soont-hah, Fhnver coming from 
a sunjloiver. 

Red maple, small variety. Oot-kwen-tah he-ehn-yo, New 
growtJi is red. 

Blue Cohosh, as well as the others, Oo-kah-ta, Not ripe. 

Cat-tail. Oo-na-too-k\va, Rushes that grp^v high, or P/eiitv of 
flags growing. Perhaps Much rushes, in the Onondaga idiom, 
applying to either size or quantity. Another name is sometimes 
used. 

Wild Aster. Ka-sa-yein-tuk-wah, It brings the frost. 

Wild Plum. Ka-ha-tak-ne, Dusty fruit. 

Hound's Tongue. Teu-te-nah-ki-en-tun-oo-noo-kwa-ea, Sheep 
burr. The first six syllables stand for sheep. 

Indian tobacco, Nicotiana rustiea. 0-yen-kwa hon-we, Heal 
tobacco. This species is used in rehgious ceremonies, and is the 
kind commonly grown by the Onondagas. Oyenkwa conveys 
no meaning beyond that of a name. 

Black walnut. Deut-soo-kwa-no-ne, Round nut. 

White cedar, or x\rbor Vitrei. Oo-soo-ha-tah, Feather leaf. 

Cohosh. Ka-koh-sah-tes-cha-kas, Smells like a horse. It may 
be some other plant, but was given me as this. 

Che-ka-se is Rotten wood in Tuscarora, and seems applied to 
Dirca palustris. 

Wild rose. Ah-weh-ha-tah-ke, Red flower. This is also called 
from its medicinal use, Ko tot-hot-ah. It stops diarrhoea. 

Ka-nus-ta-che, Black stick, may be Black Alder, or perhaps a 
Viburnum. 

Crab apple. O-yah-hon-we, Real apple. This is the old name 
for the wild crab, but is now transferred to the Siberian crab 
apple. 

Beech-drops. Och-ke-ah-kfck-hah, Ft gnm<s 0)i beech grounds. 

American Yew. 0-ne-te-o-ne, Hemlock that lies down. 



INDIAN NAMES. IIQ 

Sami)liire. 0-lieah gwc-yali, Ju/i^i^rrs. Commonly used with 
Kit-kit, thus meaning C/iickt'ii's Ji/igers, or toes. 

Bladder-nut. Oost-tah-wen-sa, Rattles. 

Buckwheat. Te-ya-nah-cha-too-ken-ha, Square seed. 

Crinkle root. (Denlaria.) O-ech-ken-tah, Braid., in allusion to 
its zig-zag form. 

Carrot. O jeet-kwah-ne-uk-ta-ha-ta, Yellotv root. 

Mustard and Ox-eye daisy. Ko-hen-tuk-wus, // takes away 
yojir field. This is applied to some other troublesome weeds. 

Grass. 0-win-oka is grass grown to its full height. Short 
grass, as in turf, is 0-je-go-chah. 

Flower is Ah-weh-hah, but flower-seed is 0-tach-ha. 

Forest is Kah-hah, and Kah-hah-goon-wah, /// the ivoods. 

Ash. Ka-hen-we-yah. This differs somewhat from another 
form, and seems to have reference to a boat. It is the Black 
Ash. 

White Ash is Ka-neh, and a variety growing by the water and 
used for baskets 'is Ka-neh-ho-yah, Another kind of Ash. 

Of the following I could not obtain the primary meaning. 

Sugar maple. Ho-whah-tah. 

Beech. Oech-keh-a. 

Butternut tree. Oo-ha-wat-tah. The nut is Oo-sook-kwa. 

Late grey willow. Oo-seh tah. 

Sumac. Oot-koo-tah. 

Currant. Ska-hens-skah-he. 

Maize. Oo-ne-hah. White corn is Oo-na-hah-keh-ha-tah, and 
there are names for other varieties. 

Sweet flag is Oo-a-hoot-tah. The name of the wild iris differs 
but little. 

Peas are 0-na-kwa, and beans, Oo-sah-ha-tah. 

Wild cherry. A-e. The red cherry is Ja-e. 

Totato. Oo-neh-noo-kwa. 

Birch. Oo-na-koon-sah. 



I20 INDIAN NAMES. 

Hickory. A-nek. The bitter nut kind is Us-teek, wliile tlie 
common nut is Oo-sook-wah. 

Golden rod. 0-yun-wa. 

Snake root. O-skwen e-tah. 

Sunflower. 0-ah-wen-sa. 

Prickly ash, Ke-un-ton. 

Elm. Oo-koh-ha-tah. 

Alder. Too-see-sa. 

A tree is Kai-en-ta, and a shrub 0-hoon-tah. 

Horse. Koo-sah-tis, Rider, perhaps one ridden. 

Cow. Teu-hone-skwa-hent, Bunch on the face, from the protu- 
berance in chewing the cud. 

Beaver. 0-no-ka-yah-ke, It cuts off trees. 

Fox. Ska-nux-ha, Mischievous. 

Porcupine. 0-ne-ha-tah, Full of prickles. 

Sheep. Teu-te-nah-kien-tun, Horns on. 

Rabbit. Tah-hoo-tah-na-ke, T^vo ears together. The smal^ 
kind is Kwa-ye-eh-ah. 

Skunk. Neet-tus, He breaks-tvind. 

House mouse. Che-ten-ah, Small mouse. To this add Ske- 
non-to. Deer, for the wood mouse. The field mouse is Jun" 
kwi-se, and the rat, Che-ten-goo-nah, Big mouse. 

Mole. Oi-\&-w^w^\\^.Q-\\'&., Bad ?iose atid bad hands. 

Bat. Tah-hun-tike-skwa, Ear biter. 

Flying squirrel. Tok-wah-soon-tun, Flies and spreads itself. 

The black and grey squirrels are Juk-ha-tah-kee; the red, Hi- 
se: the clupmuck, Tuch-he-yuh. 

Raccoon. Ju-a-kuk, and the woodchuck, Oo-nok-kent. 

Bear. Oo-kwa-e. 

Wolf Tah-he-yo-ne. 

Deer. Ske-non to. 

Cat. Tah-goos. The dog is Che-pah, and two dogs, Ta-heech- 
e-hah. 



INDIAN NAMES. 121 

Weasel. Chu-tah-kwa haen ke. 

Mink. Chu-jah-kok. 

Muskrat. An-nook-keah. 

The Onondagas have comparatively few bird names. Bird it- 
self is Ka-yu-huh. 

Robin. Jis-kah-kah, from its note. It varies slightly in the 
various dialects. 

Crow. Kah-kah, also from its note, but with a slower utter- 
ance. 

Henhawk. Ta-ka-yah-tach-kwa, It picks up the body, or any- 
thing else. 

Eagle. Skah-je-a-nah, Big claavs. 

Humming bird. Che-hone-wa-ge. Shining tail, or perhaps re- 
ferring to the whole form. 

Heron. Ne-ah-sa-kwa tah. Crooked tieck. 

Owl. Kaek-hoo-vvah, Big feathery thing. 

Long eared owl. Tah-hoon-too-whe, Putting his ears in imter, 
or bringing them together. The screech owl is Kwi-yeh. 

Oriole. — Jo-heung-ge. 

Bobolink. fsTeet-tus, Skunh, from its color, this being the name 
of that animal. 

Quail. Koo-koo e, fiom its note. The last syllable is quite 

emphatic. 

Partridge. Noon -yeah- ki-e. Noisy step. 

Swallow. Ta-kah-na-ke-kwa, Picks up water. 

Wild pigeon. Chu-ha. The common dove is Ju-ha-ah. 

Snipe. Tah-wish-tah-wish, from its note. 

Turkey. No-ta-ha-wha. 

Toad. Nees-kwah-kwien-^e, PuUofioarts. 

Green Snake. O-je-gooch-jah-ah, Green snake. 

Rattlesnake. Sa-kwe-ehn-tah, He has a spear, alluding to 

the appended rattle. 

Black snake. Ski-yea tis. He is a long snake. Oo-si-is-tah, 

Snake, is to be prefixed to some of these. 



122 INDIAN NAMES. 

Ring snake. N'yeo-hine-kwen, Red tieck. 

The milk snake is Nees-heh-seh. and the water snake Hah- 
nah-to. 

^Vhale. Ose-wah-ka-hen-tah, Hole in the back. 

Sturgeon. Ken-chea-go-nah, Big fish. 

Black bass. O-when-tah, Big body. 

Sun fish. Ta-you-chees tah, Fire in the head., in allusion to 
the red spot. 

Common sucker. 0-noo-whie-you, Good head. 

Mud sucker. O-chu-tas-sen, Fat fish. Also Teuch-hoke-tah, 
Without a full mouth. 

Trout. Nah-wan-hon-tah, Has the fast running water in his 
mouth. 

Pike. Che-go-sis, Long face. Pickerel the same. In Oneida 
the former is Ska-kah-lux, Bad eye. 

Red nose chub. Skah-neust-kwa, Prickles on the nose. 

White chub. Oo-kah-ah, Bark. 

Eel. 0-koon-ta-na, Slippery fellow. 

Yellow catfish Skah-koo-soo-nah, Big face. 

White catfish. T'kwe-a-ke, Two limbs separated. 

Mullet, or Red-fin. 0-ses-to-wan-nes, Large scales. 

White fish. Wah-haste-tah, White fish. 

The common bull-head (small catfish) is Ohn-kah-neh ; the 
perch, Ah-wah-gee; and the bony pike, Neu-juii-to-tah 

Fresh water lobster. 0-ge-a-ah, Claws. 

Oysters and fresh-water clams. 0-noo-sah. There seems a 
reference to a shining shell in their minds, and the name closely 
resembles that of the onion. It may refer in both cases to the 
peeling off of the outer envelope. 

Snail. Ge-seh-weh, Brains. A story belongs to this. 

Cricket. Ge-noo-se-na, Housekeeper. 

Grasshopper. Chees-tah-a. 

Butterfly. Hah-nah-wen, He feels warm., because it delights in 
the sun. 



INDIAN NAMKS. 1 23 

The sun is An-te-kah Ka-ah-qua, Day sun ; and the moon, 
As-so-he-ka Ka-ah-qua, Night sun. 

Bog. Ka-nah-wah-ke, Place of much loater. From this sense 
it is ajiphed to the rapids of a river, as at Lachine on the St. 
Lawrence, and Caughnavvaga on the Mohawk. 

Thunder. Ka~wen-non-tone-te, Voices 7ve hear. 

Lightning. Ta-wen-ne-wus, // makes light. 



ADDENDA. 

In the preceding pages a few omissions have been made in 
New York names, and some sUght errors may have occurred, in 
spite of all care. The only serious one may be a misprint of 
Mississijipi for Mississauga, on page loi. The Delawares called 
their river, Lenapewihittuck, or River of the Lenape. The word 
Hittuck means a rapid river. The village of Sannio, mentioned 
by Zeisberger, was probably Gannio, which would be Beautiful 
stream, and may refer to x hamlet on the Seneca river, near Cay- 
uga lake. Cajucka is the same as Cayuga, giving the soft 
sound to the second syllable. 

In Cattaraugus county is Odasquadossa, Around the stone, ap- 
plied to Great Valley creek. 

In Dutchess county are Metambesem, now Sawkill : Tan- 
quashquieck, now Schuyler's Vly: Waraukameek, now Ferer 
Cot, or Pine Swamp. 

Lossing calls an island in Schroon lake, Caywanot, and Waw- 
beek Lodge is a summer resort on the Upper Saranac. In his 
narrative of 1689, Col. Schuyler mentioned the following places, 
not far from the west shore of Lake Champlain : Kanondoro, 
Oghraro, and Ogharonde farther north. 

The village of South Onondaga is called T'kahentootah, Where 
the pole is raised. 

On page 12, twenty-seventh line, change 1760 to 1670. 



124 INDIAN NAMES. 

Page 1 6, read Quisiclikook, and Wawyachtonock. 

Page 17. twenty-third line, read Long lake. 

Page 44, read Waiontha. 

Page 72, read Paskungemah. 

Page loi, seventh line, read Mississauga. 

Peconic river is the principal stream in the east part of Suffolk 
county. In the same county is Moriches, and Yajjhank is a 
tributary of the Conetquot. or Connecticut river there. 

The Siwanoys were a tribe on Long Island Sound and the 
East river. Nappeckamack was also an Indian village in West- 
chester county. Near New York many local names have lately 
been revived, especially for hotel and villa purposes. This is 
becoming the case in the Adirondack wilderness, where some 
have been introduced. 

A curious factor in the recent spread of Indian names, has 
been furnished by the Post Office Department. It ])as collected 
lists from which to select names for new offices, and while most 
of these are really old, one of my Indian friends formed a num- 
ber of new, simple and significant names for this purpose. With 
a moderate knowledge of Indian dialects this may easily be done. 
For such purposes the Iroquois language is unsurpassed, though 
some others are not far behind. Many Delaware words are 
quite as melodious, though less stately. It is gratifying to know 
that so many of our native dialects are now being placed in per- 
manent form, and may thus be drawn upon in the future. 



THE END. 



INDKX. 



PAGE. 

Absecumb ^'^6 

Accaponack. 8i 

Accomac loi 

Achquetuck. 7 

Acqueahounck 88 

Acquitack 93 

Acushnett no 

Acawanuck i6 

Adaquagtina i8 

Adiga 67 

Adiquitange 18 

Adirondack 26. 

Adjuste 35 

Adriucha 75 

Agamenticus 107 

Aganuschion 27 

Agioochook 99 

Agwam 80 

Ahanhage 65 

Ahasbawaghkick. 16 

Ahgotesaganage 40 

Ahtagwehdaga 62-^1 

Ahwagee 39 

Aiaskawosting 63 

Ajoyokta, 48 



PAGE. 

Akwissasne 29 

Alabama 30-98 

\A.laska 98 

Alaskayering 82 

Algonquin 28-109 

Alipconck 89 

Allegany 8 

Allickewany 108 

Allnapooknapus 31 

Amagansett 81 

Amawalk 88 

Amoskeag 99 

Ampersand 28 

Anaquassacook 86 

Anahuac 109 

Anajot 40 

Andarague 43 

Andes 106 

Andiataracte 86 

Andiatarocte 85 

Anjagen 37 

Aontagillon 40-49 

Apache 106 

'Apalachian 109 

Apalachin 83 



126 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



PAGE. 

Apalachicola 109 

Apawamis 90 

Apokeepsink 19 

Apoquague 19 

Appamaghpogh 89 

Aquarage 48 

Aquebague 80 

Aquehonga 71 

Aquehung 89 

Arkansas 99 

Armonck 89 

Armenperai .... ... ... 88 

Arnoniogre 59 

Aroostook 100 

Arrapaho 1 02-1 11 

Axaquenta 61 

Ascalege 76 

Aserotus 87 

Ashaagona 96 

Ashtabula 103 

Aspetong 89 

Assineboin 102 

Assinnissink 79 

Assiskowachkeek 93 

Assorodus 87 

Astenrogen ;^;^ 

Astorenga 33 

Astraguntera 18 

Awanda 18 

Atatea 32 

Atateka 84 

Atalapoosa 84 



PAGE. 

Atenharakwehtare 34 

Athapasca 104 

Athethquanee 108 

Atkarkarton 83 

Attacapa 109 

Attoniat 14 

Basher 63-82 

Betuckquapock . . 90 

Boutokeese 85 

Brule .... Ill 

Cachiadachse 54 

Cadaraqui 64 

Caddo 109 

Cadosia 18 

Cadranghie 33 

Cahaniaga 45 

Cahaquaragha 21-47 

Cahogaronta 32 

Cahunghage 56 

Callicoon 81 

Canachagala ^;^ 

Canada 30-51-104 

Canadasseoa 40 

Canadice 60 

Canaenda 62 

Canagora 45 

Canajoharie 43 

Canandaigua 61 

Canarsie 35 

Canasawasta 15 

Canasenc 93 

Canaseraga 9-35-39 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



127 



PA(JK. 

Canassadcraga 39 

Canastota 39 

Canawaugus 36 

Caneadea ^ 

Canewana 82 

Caniadaraga 67 

Caniadeii Guarunte .... 26 

Caniaderioit 85 

Caniaderosseras 85 

Caniadutta 29 

Caniskek 94 

Canistaquaha 74 

Canisteo 78 

Canniungaes 43 

Canoga 77 

Canohage 65 

Canopus 68-90 

Canorasset 69 

Canowaroghaie 51 

Canowedage 32 

Cantitoe 90 

Capawack no 

Caranasses 90 

Carantouan 83 

Casawavalatetah ........ 37 

Cashickatunk 18 

Cashigton. 81 

Cassontachegona 65 

Cataraqui 100 

Catasaugua 106 

Catatunk 82 

Catawba 79 



PAOK. 

Cathatachua 32 

Cattaraugus 9^9 ^ 

Catawissa 1 06 

Caughdenoy 64 

Caughnawaga 45 

Caumsett - - 69 

Cayadutta 29-45 

Cayuga 1 1-85-9 1 

Cayuta 77 

Chadakoin 13 

Chadaqueh 13 

Charaton 87 

Cha,utauqua 12 

Chawtickognack 77 

Checkanango 30 

Checkomingo 17 

Cheesecocks 63 

Chegaquatka 51 

Chegwaga 72 

Chehocton 18 

Chemung 14-82 

Chenango 9-19 

Chenashungaton 10 

Cheningo 17 

Chenondac 49 

Chenondanah 36 

Chenonderoga 26 

Chenunda 9 

Cheoquock 77 

Chepachet 33-i°3 

Chepontuc 8 

Cherokee 102 



128 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



PAGE 

Chesapeake loo 

Chesuncook 102 

Cheyenne 103-1 1 1 

Chicago 100 

Chicopee 74 

"^ Chickahominy 104 

Chickamauga 104 

Chictawauga , . . . 23 

Chigoes 104 

Chillicothe 106 

Chinosehehgeh 91 

Chippewa 72-102 

Chitimacha . . 109 

Chittenango 38 

Choconut 9 

Choharo . 12 

Chonodote. 10 

Choueguen 12-64 

Chouendahowa ...... 75 

Choughkawokanoe 82 

Choughtighignick 31 

Chroutons 12 

Chuctenunda 42 

Chugnutts . 9 

Chutonah 49 

Chunutah 49 

Cicapoa 100 

Ciohana. . 32 

Cisqua 90 

Coaquannock 106 

Cobamong 88 

Cochecton 81 



Codaughrity. 

Cohansey 

Cohasset 

Cohoes . . 

Cohongorunto 

Cokeose. 

Comanches 

Cometico 

Commack 

Condawhaw 

Conesus 

Conetquot , 

Conewago 

Conewango 

Conewawa 

Congammuck 

Conhocton 

Conihunto 

Conistigione 

Conneaut 

Connecticut 

Connectsio 

Conneogahakalononitade 
Connondauwegea . 
Connughhariegughharie. . 

Conoiigue 

Conoval 

Cookquago .... . . . . ^ 

Copake 

Coppacow 

Coram 

Corchaki 



■ 42 

• 90 

• 99 

• 7 

• 67 
18 

III 

• 79 
81 

77 

• 35 
80 

107 

8-9 

14 

29 

78 

67 
76 
107 
97 
38 
44 
14 
75 
79 
90 

-17 
17 

105 
80 
81 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



129 



PAGE. 

Coreorgonel 83 

Coshaqiia 37 

Cossayuna. . . 86 

Coughsagrage 27 

Cowaselon 39 

Cowilliga 42 

Coxsackie 31 

Croton 88 

Cunisewogue 79 

Cungstaghrathankre 44 

Cushietank 63 

Cussawago 107 

Cutchogne 80 

Cuyahoga •105 

Dadeodanasukto 23 

Dadenoscara 43 

Dageanogeanut 63 

-Dakota. 98 

Daosanogeh 30 

Datecarskosase 47 

Dategeadehanaghe 48 

Dategehhosoheh 63 

Datewasunthago 50 

Datskahe 11 

Daudehokta 10 

Uaudenosagwanose 40 

Dayahoowaquat 33-5° 

Dayaitgao 38 

Dayodehokto 42 

Daweennet 35 

Deagogaya 11 

Deaonohe 57 



Deasgwahdaganeh 24 

Deashendacjua 10 

Deawendote 10 

Dedyonawa'h 24 

Dedyowenoguhdo. 25 

Deiswagaha 55 

Dekanage 43 

Denontache 66 

Deodesote 36 

Deodosote 48 

Deonagano 10 

Deonagono 36 

Deonakehussink 58 

Deoongona 30 

Deongote 23 

Deonundagaa 36 

Deoselatagaat 51 

Deostehgaa 25 

Deseroken 92 

Deshonta 30 

Deowainsta 51 

Deowesta 38 

Deowuudakno 63 

Deowyundo 55 

Deyaohen 92 

Deyehhogadases 24 

Deyohero 92 

Deyohhogah 23 

Deyosweken 92 

Deyowuhyeh 48 

Dionondahowa 86 

Diontaroga -14 



I30 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Donatagwenda 79 

Doshoweh 21 

Duhjihhehoh 48 

Dyoeohgwes 25 

Dyohensgovola 108 

Dyonahdaeeh 24 

Dyosdaodoh 25 

Dyoshoh 24 

Dyuhahgaih 38 

Dyuneganooh 25 

Dyunondahgaseh 36 

Dyunowadase 49 

Dyusdanyahgoh 49 

Eauketaupuckuson 90 

Eghquaous 71 

Eghwagny 51 

Entouhonorons 60-64 

Erie 19 

Eskimo 109 

Esopus 83 

Etagragon 44 

Etcataragarenre 33 

Feegowese 74 

Fisquid 87 

Gaahna 54 

Gaanadahdaah 23 

Gaanogeh 49 

Gaanundata 14 

Gaaschtinick 7 

Gacheayo 57 

Gadageh 23 

Gadagesgao 91 



PAGE. 

Gadaoyadeh 25 

Gadoquat 55 

Gaensara 62 

Gaghconghwa 61 

Gahdayadeh 25 

Gahenwaga 65 

Gahgwahgeh 23 

Gahnigahdot 38 

Gahuagojetwadaalote .... 34 

Galaraga 76 

Ganadadele 15 

Ganadawao ... 14 

Ganaouske 85 

Gananoqui 104 

Ganargwa 87 

Ganosawadi 15 

Ganatarage 12 

Ganataragoin 72 

Ganaatio 87 

Ganatisgoa 40 

Ganatocherat 15 

Ganatoheskiagon 107 

Ganayat 91 

Ganeadiya 37 

Ganegatodo 35 

Ganehdaontweh 37 

Ganentouta 34 

Ganeowehgayat 8 

Ganeraski 107 

Ganiataregechiat 12 

Ganiotaragachrachat .... 17 
Gannagaro 61 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



131 



I'AOK. 

Ganneious 107 

Gannerataraske 17 

Gannongarae 61 

Gannounata 36 

Ganoalohale 40 

Ganohgwahtgeh 25 

Ganohliohgeh 21 

Ganowaya 57 

Ganowtachgerage 82 

Ganowungo 14 

Ganundaah 61 

Ganundaglee 51 

Ganuntskowa 65 

Goosacbgaah 61 

Gaosagao 61 

Gaowahgowaah 49 

Gaquagaono 10 

Garoga 42 

Garonouoy 72 

Gaskonchiagon 41 

Gaskosada 47 

Gaskosadaneo 25 

(Jasotena 66 

Gasquendageh 24 

Gaswadah 30 

Gaudak 30 

Gawanasegeh 80 

Gawanowananeh 68 

Gawehnogeh , . . 25 

Gawehnowana 11 

Gawenot 25 

Gawshegwehoh . . 37 



Gayagaanha 1 1 

Gayagaawhdoh 23 

Geadiyo 92 

Geauga 105 

Geneganstlet 15 

Genentaha 52 

Genesee 30-36 

Genesee 30-36 

Geneundahsaiska 30 

Gentaieton 23 

Ginisaga. 42 

Gitshiguma no 

Gusdago 14 

Godokena 41 

Gognytanee 76 

Goienho 4o-55 

Gowanda 10 

Gowanisque 79 

Goyogoins 87 

Gwaugweh . 48 

Gwehtaan etecarn un dodeh 

30-42 

Gwisteahna 58 

Gweugweh 12 

Haanakrois 7 

Hachniage 38 

Hackensack 19-71-107 

Hagguato 7 

Hahdoneh 23 

Hamcram 7 

Hananto 55 

Haseco 90 



132 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Hateentox 26 

Hatekehneetgaondo 49 

Heahhawhe 65 

Hesoh 10 

Heweghtiquack 88 

Heyontgathwathah 25 

Hoboken 47 

Hochelaga i o i 

Hockhocking 103 

Hokohongus 9° 

Homowack 82-84 

Honeoye 37-^^ 

Honge 90 

Hoiinedaga 33 

Hoosick 70 

Hoppogue 80 

Horicon 84 

Hostayuntwa 50 

Hotanke 108 

Housatonic 100 

Huncksook 26 

Iconderoga 42 

Idaho 98 

Illinois. ... 99 

Incapahcho 32 

Iowa 97 

Irondequoit 40 

Iroquois 28-40-73 

Ischoda 71 

Ischuna 10 

Isutchera 8 

Jagooyeh 30 



Jagoyogeh .... 8 

Jamaica 69 

Jaquokranaegarae 96 

Jedondago 41-87 

Jegasaneh . : 10 

Jehonetaloga 26 

Jenneatowaka 62 

Joaik 30 

Joiiasky - 14 

Jonondeseh 92 

Juscumeatick 69 

Jutalaga 42 

Jutowesthah 27-31 

Kachkawayick 16 

Kachnarage 56 

Kadewisday 51 

Kadiskona 65 

Kaeouagegein 14 

Kaggais 31 

Kaghneantasis 67 

Kahakasnik 84 

Kahcheboncook 85 

Kahchoquahna 86 

Kahekanunda 33 

Kahengouetta 34 

Kahesarahera 61 

Kahhewake 92 

Kahkekdohhon 92 

Kahkwah 19-20 

Kahnaseu 68 

Kahowtthare 76 

Kahseway .... 17 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



^33 



Kahskunghsaka. 65 

Kaliuahgo 34 

Kahyahooneh 53 

Kahyungkwatahtoa 58 

Kaiehntah 54 

Kaioongk 54 

Kaiyahnkoo 53 

Kakiate 7 * 

Kakouagoga 19 

Kanadarauk 43 

Kanadesaga 62 

Kanaghtarageara 51 

Kanakage 11 

Kanasahka 59 

Kanasedahkeh 92 

Kanatagiron 65 

Kanatagowa 58 

Kanataraken 73 

Kanataseke 73 

Kanataswastakeras 73 

Kanawaga *. . . . 72 

Kanawahgoonah ....... 59 

Kaneenda 52 

Kangodick 50 

Kanhaitaneckge 24 

Kaniatarontoquat 41 

Kanjearagore 76 

Kanona 79 

Kanono 47 

Kanonskegon 38 

Kanowalohale 14 

Kanowaya 55 



Kansas 97 

Kanughwaka 59 

Kanuskago 35 

Kanvagen .... 38 

Kanyonscotta 52 

Karathyadira 8 

Karaken 92 

Karhetyonni 92 

Karhowenghradon 92 

Karighondontee 76 

Karistautee ..... 28 

Karonkwi 72 

Kasanotiayogo 14 

Kasawasahya 37 

Kashong 61 

Kaskongshadi 27 

Kaskosowahnah 47 

Kasoag 66 

Kasoongkta 57 

Katahdin loo 

Katawignack 93 

Katonah 89 

Katsenekwar 73 

Kauhagwarahka 21 

Kaunasehwadeuyea. 67 

Kawenokowanenne 72 

Kayaderoga 74 

Kayaderosseras 75 

Kayadosseras 26 

Kayandorossa 84 

Kayawese 74 

Kaygen 79 



134 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 

PAGE. 



Keakatis 90 

Kearsarge 1 03 

Kehook / 66 

Keinthe 62 

Kekeshick 89 

Kendaia 7^ 

Kenhanagara 76 

Kenjockety 25 

Kennebec 103 

Kenosha loi 

Kensico 90 

Kente 107 

Kentsiakowane 29 

"Kentucky 97 

Kentuehone. ........... 53 

Kennyetto 29 

Kenzua 104 

Keokuk .101 

Kestaubaiuck 90 

Kerhonkson .. 84 

Ketchepun'ak 81 

Keuka .^.79-91 

Keweenaw 102 

Kiaheuntaha 54 

Kiamesha 82 

Kicktawank 88 

Kickua 16 

Kienuka .v. 48 

Killalemy . 68 

Killawog 9 

Killoquaw 29 

Kinaquariones 44 



Kineo -loi 

Kingiaquahtonee 86 

Kiowa 109-11 1 

Kishewana 68 

Kiskatamenakook 31 

Kiskatofn 31 

Kisko 89 

Kitchawan 88 

Kitoaboneck 80 

Kittaning 103 

Kittatiny 103 

Kiwigtignock 88 

Knaeto 79 

Kohatatea. 8 

Kohoseraghe 36 

Kolaneka. 30 

Konkhonganok .. 80 

Konneonga 82 

Konyouyhyough , 36 

Kotchakatoo 52 

Kouari s;^ 

Kuhnataha 65 

Kunatah 53 

Kundaqua. 58 

Kunyouskata . . .' 51 

Kusteha .'.' . . .60 

Kuyahora 50 

Kuykuyt 83 

Kyserike . ... 84 

Laaphawachking 45-9 1 

Lackawack 82-84 

Lackawanna 102 



INDEX TO 

PAQE. 

Lackauwaxen 102 

Lenape 108 

Loyalhanna 104 

Loyalsock 104 

Lusum 69 

Lycoming 66-102 

Machackamock 84 

Machawanick 93 

Machhanne 106 

Macokassino 90 

Macooknack 88 

Macookpack 68 

Maennepis 90 

Magowasinginck 84 

Magquamkasick 94 

Magrigaries 88 

Mahockamack 7 1-82 

Mahackemeck 63 

Mahakeneghtue 84 

Mahaskakook 16 

Mahoning to6 

Maliopac 68 

Mamakating . 81 

Maniaroneck 89 

Mamecotink 81 

Manakawaghkin 90 

Manahatouh 108 

Mananosick 16 

Manchage 109 

Manckatawangum 82 

Mandans 107 

Mangopson 90 



LOCAL NAMES. 135 

PAGE. 

Manhasset 69-80 

Manhattan 45-96 

Manhonsackahaquashuvvor- 

nook 80 

Manowtussquott 79 

Manunketesuck 90 

Manursing 88 

Maqua ; 43 

Maquaconkaeck 70 

Maquainkadely 70 

Maregond 19 

Maroonskaack 70 

Marseping 69 

Maskinongez 20 

Maskoutens 104 

Maspeth 69 

Massachusetts 97 

Massawepie 73 

Massepe 69 

Mastaqua 28 

Mastic 79 

Matapony 106 

Matinicock 69 

Matowacks 80 

Mattapan no 

Mattashuk 17 

Mattituck 81 

Matteawan 19-63-7 1 

Mauch Chunk 103 

Mawanagwasick 16 

Mawhichnack 16 

Mawignack 93 



136 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



PAGK. 

Meanagh 89 

Mecox 81 

Mehanas 88 

Mendota in 

Menominee 102 

Menunkatuck no 

Mereychawick 35 

Merrick 69 

Merrimac 99 

Meshodac 70 

Metongues 82 

Mettacahonts 84 

Mettowee 86 

Mexico 99 

Miami 105 

Miamog 80 

Mianrogue 80 

Mianticutt 81 

Michigan .... 78-98 

Michilimackinac in 

Michinipi no 

Milwaukee 103 

Minas 71 

Minasseroke 79 

Minatarees 107 

Mingwmg 81 

Minisceongo 71 

Minisink 63 

Minnahauock 47 

Minnahenock 90 

Minnesota 97 

Minnehaha 102 



PAOB. 

Minnetarees no 

Minnewaska 84 

Minnewies 88 

Minnissichtanock 16 

Minsi 108 

Miosehassaky 91 

Mishawum 109 

Mississauga loi 

Mississippi 98 

Missouri 98 

Mistucky 63 

Mobile no 

Mockgonnekouck 69 

Mockquams 89 

Moenemines 7 

Mohagan 31 

Moharsic 88 

Mohawk 32-43 

Mohegan 68-88-108 

Mohegonter 76 

Mohensick 69 

Mohonk 84 

Mombaccus 83 

Monacan 103 

Manadnock 99 

Monakewego 90 

Monayunk 106 

Monchonock 80 

Moneong . . n i 

Mongaup 18-63-81 

Monocacy 1 03 

Monocknong 71 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



137 



""^Monongahela 103 

Monsey 7 ^ 

Montauk 80 

Monwagan 63 

Mooshausick no 

Moospottenwacha 85 

Mosholu 88 

Motanucke 7 ^ 

Mayamensing 106 

Muscoota 83 

Muskegoe 105 

Muskingum 100 

Mussauco no 

Mystic T03 

Nachaquatuck 80 

Nachaquickquack 70 

Nachassickquaack 70 

Nachawachkano 16 

Nachtenack 74 

Naganoose 37 

Namasakeeset no 

Nanama 90 

Nanapahakin 17 

Nantasasis 58 

Nanticoke 83 

Napanock 84 

Napeague 81 

Napeestock 93 

Narragansett 103 

Nascon 11 

Nashua 99 

Natadunk 52 



PAGE. 

Natchez 106 

Natick no 

Nauasin 90 

Naugatuck . . .103 

Naumkeag no 

Navajo no 

Neaga Waagwenneyu .... 42 

Neatawantha 64 

Nebraska 97 

Negagonse 71 

Negateca 37-62 

Nehasane 33~35 

Neodakheat 83 

Nepaug 106 

Neperhan 89 

Neshannock 105 

Nessingh 32 

Neversink 63-7 1-8 1 

Newageghkoo 40 

Niagara 47 

Niantic 105 

Niaoure 34 

Nicaragua 109 

Nichankook 16 

Nidyionyahaah 24 

Nigawenahaah 20 

Nihanawate 28 

Niharuntaquoa 50 

Nikahionhakowa 34 

Nikentsiake 74 

Niobrara 105 

Nipissing 107 



138 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 
PAGE. 



Nipnichsen 90 

Nipsic 105 

Niscatha 7 

Niskayuna 66-76 

Nissequague 81 

Noapain 90 

Nockamixon 105 

Nodoneyo 32 

Norninick 80 

Nonowautuck 79 

Nope no 

Nowadaga 32 

Nowannagquasick 16 

Noyack 81 

Nunda 37 

Nundadasis 50 

Nundavvao 62 

Nnppa 16 

Nuquiage 78 

Nushiona 32 

Nyack. 71 

Oageh 31 

Oatka 30-91 

Ochquichtok 93 

Ochsweege 47 

Ocoligo 106 

Ocquionis 68 

Octarora 104 

Odasquawateh 10 

Oeyendehit 78 

Ogahgwahgeh 25 

Ogallallas , in 



Ogeawatekae 49 

Oghnaweron 92 

Oghrackie 42 

Oghrekyonny 92 

Oghskwawaseronon 92 

Ogoyaga. 91 

Ogsadaga 42 

Ohadi. 36 

Ohagi 38 

Oheeo i© 

"Ohio 33-99 

Ohiokea 39 

Ohnentaha. 52 

Ohnowalagantle 75 

Ohsahaunytahseughka. , . 56 

Ohudeara 42-60 

Oiekarontne 35 

Oiogue 8-85 

Ojeenrudde 51-86 

Ojequack 72 

Ojibway 102 

Ojikhadagega 47-80 

Okkanum 9 

Omaha 105 

Onaghe 37 

Onangwack 84 * 

Onannogiiska 17 

Onas 96 

Onawedake 44 

Ondachare 12 

Ondawa 87 

Onderiguegon 87 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



139 



Oneadalote 26 

Oneaka. • 47 

Oneentadashe 7^ 

Onehchigeh 41 

Onehda 36-61 

Oneida 39-5° 

Onenyodeli 92 

Oneonwonre 42 

Oneonta 67 

Oneteadahque 50 

Oneyagine 76 

Onguiaahra 47 

Onioen 12 

Oniskethau 7 

Onistade 35 

Onistagrawa 76 

Onitstahragarawe 76 

Onjadaracte 86 

Onkwiiyede 92 

Onoalagonena 75 

Onoghquaga. . . 9 

Onoghsadadago 8 

Onondaga 52 

Onondahgegahgeh 24 

Onondarka 9 

Onontare 12 

Onontohen 34 

Onowadagegh 18 

Onowanogawense 17 

Ontiahantague 64 

On-ikehomawck 70 

Ontiora 31 



Ontonagon 107 

Onunogese 55 

Oquaga . 9 

Oracotenton 72 

Oregon 85-97 

Oriskany 50 

Osakentake 73 

Osarhehan 29 

Oscawana - 89 

Osceola 35-68-109 

Osenodus 87' 

Oserake loi 

Oserigooch 59 

Oshkosh 109 

Oskavvano 68 

Osoawentha 10 

Osoontgeh 31 

Ossaragas 75 

Osseunenon 42 

Ossinsing 88 

Ossipee 100 

Oswegatchie 35-72 

Oswego - 64 

Ostenha -- . 66 

Oswaya 10 

Otegegajakee 55 

Otego 67 

Otequehsahheeh 55 

Oteseonteo 18 

Otisco 54 

Otochshiacho 62 

Otonabee 109 



140 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Otondiata 72 

Otsdawa 68 

Otsego 66 

Otselic 15-39 

Otseningo 9 

Otsgaragu 76 

Otshwerakeron 92 

Otsikwake 72 

Otsiketa 106 

Otsquaga 33-42 

Otsquene 42 

Otstungo 42 

Ottawa 101 

Ouaroronon 49 

Oucongena 76 

Oukorlah 28 

Ouleout 18 

Ouluska 28 

Ounontisaston 49 

Outenessoneta 34 

Ovirka 39 

Owaeresoueri 7^ 

Owahgenah 38 

Owaiski 8 

Owarioneck 18-67 

Owasco II 

Owasne 73 

Owego 82 

Oxdenhe 92 

Oyahan, 55 

Oyonwayea 48 

Paanpaack 70 



Pachquiack 93 

Paensic 70 

Pahaquarry 103 

Pahhakoke 70 

Pahucha 97 

Paikandoos m 

Pakataghkan 18 

Pangaskolink 84 

Panhoosick 70 

Panquacumsuck 80 

Papaguanetuck 27 

Papotunk i8 

Papskanee 69 

Pascack 71 

Pascakook 93 

Paskongammuc 29 

Paskungemah ......... 72 

Pasquashic 90 

Passaic 103 

Passapenock 6 

Patapsco 105 

Patchogue 79 

Patomus 90 

Pattawassa 70 

Pattougammuck 29 

Patuxet 1 10 

Paughcaughnanghsink. . . 63 

Pawnee 102 

Pawtucket 100 

Pechquenakonck 90 

Peeteeweemowguesepo. .. 34 
Pembinah m 



INDEX ro 

1>A«E. 

Pemigevvasset loo 

Periipotawuthut 7 

Pennacook 100 

Penataquit • 80 

Penobscot 100 

Pensacola . . 105 

Pentiicket 100 

Peoria 91 

i epfichton 18 

Peppeneghek 90 

Pequannock 103 

; Pequod 105 

Terigo 70 

Pesquanachqua. 94 

Petanock 71 

Petaquapoen 69-90 

- Pickaway 107 

-, Piqua 107 

Piscataquis loi 

Piscataquog 100 

Piscatavvay 102 

Piscawen 71 

Piseco 31 

Pitkiskaker 63 

Pittowbagonk 28 

Piwaket 31 

Pocanteco . . 89 

Pocasset 105 

Pocatocton 82 

Pockeotessen 90 

Podunk 86 

Pokerhoe. . 90 



LOCAL NAMES. I4I 

PAGE. 

Pompaiiuck 86 

Ponchunk 63 

Ponckhockie 84 

Poningoe 88 

Poiiokose 69 

Ponquogue 81 

Pontiac . 25 

Popsheny 69 

Poquampacake. . . . . . . . 70 

Poquatuck 81 

Poquott. . 70 

Potick. . 31-93 

Potamiskassick 94 

Potiticus 89 

Potquassic 71 

Pottkook 16 

Potuck 63 

-Potomac 99 

Poughkeepsie 19 

Pougliquag 19 

-^'owhatan 105 

Psanticoke 70 

Pussapanum. . 68 

Quahaug 90 

QiKijack . . 93 

Quannahung 88 

Qiiantico 105 

Quantuc 81 

Quai)avvs 99 

Quaquendena 56 

Quaroppas 90 

Quassaic 63 



142 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Quawnotiwock ... 80 

Quiehook 56-66 

Quisichkooh 16 

QuiUiapiack no 

Quinte 107 

Quebec 99 

Quequick 70 

Quenischachschgekhanne 68 

Quogue 81 

Raghshough 17 

Rahonaness go 

Ramapo 63-71-103 

Ranachque 89 

Rappahannock' 105 

Raraghenhe 56 

Raritan. 103 

Raxetoth 33 

Regioghne 27 

Rippowams 90 

' Roanoke 30-104 

Rockaway 69 

Rodsio 86 

Rogeo 26 

Rokonkoma 81 

Rotsiichni 26 

Runonvea 14 

Sac 102 

Sacahka i6 

Sachus 88 

Sachwrahung. , . 88 

Sackahampa. . 16 

Saco 102 



Sacondaga , ] ^ . 29 

Sacut 69 

Sadeahlowanake ... . . 15 

Sagawannah 76 

Sagapun'ak 81 

Sagg 81 

Saginaw 102 

Sagohara 03 

Sagoghsaanagechtheyky.,. 2 

Sahiquage 21 

Sahrakka 74 

Sakorontakehtas 29 

Sampawam 80 

Sanahagog 7 

Sanatatea 8 

Sandanona 27 

Sandusky 106 

Sankhenack 16 

Sankhicanni 46 

Sannio . . 12 

Saranac 15 

Saratoga 74 

Sasachem. ... 90 

Sateiyienon 68 

Saugus no 

Sauquoit 50 

Scajaquady 23 

Scaniadoris 39 

Scaghticoke 70 

Schanatissa 44 

Schenectady 75 

Schenevus 66 



INDEX TO LOCAI. NAMES. 



M3 



Schov 'ck 7T 

Scliohar'e 76 

Schonowc 76 

Scompamuck 17 

Scowarocka 75 

Scunnemank 71 

Sebago 102 

S contagh 80 

Secunk 109 

Seepohsnumahkahkee. . . . 108 

Seeungut 23 

Semesseerse 71 

Seminole 104 

Senasqua 89 

Seneca 77 

Senhahlone 15 

Senongewah 85 

Sensinick 88 

Sepasco 19 

Sepeachin 90 

Sepun'ak 81 

Sequetanck 69 

Setauket 79 

Seuka 56 

Sganatees- 39 

Shackamaxon ......... 104 

Shaganahgahyeh 24 

Shagwango 81 

Shamokin 104 

Shanahasgwaikon 8 

Shanandhot 75 

Shandaken 83 



Shappaqua 89 

Shaseounse 77 

Shawangunk 82-83 

Shawmut no 

Shawnee 48-101 

Sheboygan 104 

Shedowa 14 

Sheepshaack 71 

Shegwiendawkwe 27 

Shekomeko 19 

^Shenandoah 19-104 

Shenondehowa 75 

Shewaisla 40 

Shinnecock 80 

Shippan 90 

Shokakin 18 

Shokan 8^ 

Shongo 9 

Shorackappock 90 

Sadaghqueeda 50 

Sigghes 90 

Simmewog 68 

Sing Sing 15-88 

Sinhaloneeinnepus, . 29 

Sinnondowaene 36 

Sin Sink 79 

Sinsipink 63 

Sint Sink 69-88 

Sioascock 90 



Sioux , 



109-1 II 

Sistogoaet g 

Skaankook 16 



144 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Skaghnetaghiowahna. . . . 27 

Skahasegao 36, 

Skahnetade 7 

Skahundowa 17 

Skanadario 60 

Skanandowa 50 

Skaneateles ; . . . 17-53 

Skaneatice 60 

Skannayutenate 78 

Skanowis 50 

Skanusunk 50 

Skenandoah. . . . , 50 

Skippack 106 

Sknoonapus 27 

Skoiyase 77 

Skonowahco 27 

Skonyatales , 30 

Skosaisto 41 

Skowhiangto 9 

Sneackx 6 

Soegasti 72 

Sohahhee 57 

Sokonesset 1 10 

Soghniejahdie 68 

Sonnontouans 60 

Sonojowauga 36 

Sopers bg 

Sovvassett 79 

Speonk 81 

Squagonna. 87 

Squam 100 

Squakie 37 



Squayenna 11 

Squinanton 15 

Staata 57 

Stehahah 59 

Stichtekook 94 

Stissing. 19 

Suckasunny 105 

Suckebout 90 

Sunquams 80 

Sunswick 69 

Susquehanna 68-82 

Suwanee loi 

Swahyawana 78 

Sweege 20 

Swenoga 57 

Swenughkee 57 

Syosset 69 

Tabigicht 94 

Tacolago 31 

.Taescameasick 71 

Tagaote 48 

Taghanick 17 

Tagoochsanagechti 58 

Taghroonwago 8 

Taguneda 56 

Tahoe 96 

Takahundiando 35 

Takisedaneyont 23 

Takoayenthaqua 59 

Takundewide 86 

Talaquega 33 

Tamaqua 106 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 
PAOE. 



Tammany 46 

Tammoesis 89 

Tampa 105 

Tanketenkes ... 89 

Tanraken 90 

Tanunnogao 23 

Tappan 71 

Tarajorhies 42 

Tatesowehneahaqua 59 

Tatomuck 90 

Taughanick 83 

Tawasentha 7 

Tawassagunshee 7 

Tawastawekak 16 

Teahoge 32 

Tecananouaronesi 34 

Tecardanaduk 30 

Tecaresetaneont 31 

Tecarhuharloda 29-32 

Tecarjikhado . . 10 

Tecarnagage 25-48 

Tecarnohs 10 

Tecarnowundo 10 

Tecarnowunnadaneo .... 31 

Techiroguen 56 

Teckyadough Nigarige. . . 26 

Tegachequaneonta 58 

Tegahonesaota 1 1-87 

Tegarandies 61 

Tegatainasghgue 30 

Tegerhunkserode 87 

Tegesoken 49 



145 

PAGE 



Tehodijenharakwen 92 

Tekadaogahe. 33 

Tekaghweangaraneghton 85 

Tekanotaronwe 29 

Tekaondoduk 49 

Tekaswenkprorens 29 

Tekawistota 59 

Tekiatantarikon ....... 99 

Tekoharawa 43 

Tencare Negoni 65 

Tennessee 97 

Tenonatche 43 

Teohoken 84 

Teonatale. 51 

Teondeloga 42 

Teoronto 41 

Tequanotagowa 66 

Tequatsera 76 

Tessuya 32 

Tethiroguen 40 

Teton 106 

Teuchsagrondie no 

Teughtaghrarow ....... 32 

Teuhswenkientook 58 

Teuneayahsgona. 59 

Teunento 55 

Teaungesatayagh 54 

Teutunehookah 57 

Tewaskoowegoona 55 

Tewatenetarenies 73 

Tewheack 17 

Tewistanoontsaneaha. . . 17 



146 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



Teyajikhado 52 

Teyanunsoke 50 

Teyonadelhough 67 

Teyoneandakt 67 

Teyoweyendon 92 

Teyowisodon 57 

~Texas 99 

Tgaaju 12 

Tgades 24 

Tganondagayoshah 24 

Tgahsgohsadeh 24 

Tganosodoh 24 

Tgasiyadeh 24 

Thayendakhike 44 

Theyaoguin 51 

Therotons 12 

Thiohero 12 

Thogwenyoh 92 

Tiadaghta 18 

Tiatachschiunge 82 

Tiatachtont 54 

Tichero 12 

Tickeackgougahaunda . . . 22 

Ticonderoga 26 

Tierken , , 69 

Tightilligaghtikook 87 

Tinghtonananda 44 

Tiochrungwe 40 

Tioga 32-82 

Tiohionhoken 73 

Tiondiondoguin 26 

Tionondadon 67 



Tionondogue 45 

Tionondorage 42 

Tioratie 32 

Tiorunda 68 

Tiosaronda 85 

Tiotiake loi 

Tioughnioga 17 

Tippecanoe 106 

Titicus 89 

Tiyanagarunte 49 

T'kahkoongoondanahyeh 59 
T'kahnahtahkaeyehoo ... 59 
T'kahneadaherneuh ... . 54 

T'kahnehsenteu 59 

T'kahsenttah 54 

T'kahskoonsutah 59 

T'kahskwiutke. ... 57 

Tombigbee 105 

Tobyhanna 104 

Tomhannock . . 69 

Tomhenack 86 

Tonawadeh 28 

Tonawanda 20-30 

Toneadih 10 

Tonetta 68 

Toquams 90 

Toronto 104 

Toseoway 22 

Totiakton 62 

Totieronno 83 

Touareune 76 

Touenho 56 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 



M7 



Touhaina 7° 

Towanda 105 

Towailoondah 32 

Towoknowra 76 

Tsatsawassa 70 

Tsihonwinetha 73 

Tsiiakotennitserronttietha 73 

Tsiiowenoskwarate 72 

Tsikaiiionwareskowa .... 72 

Tsinontchiouagon 41 

Tsiroqui 56 

Tsitkaniatareskowa 72 

Tsitriastenronwe 28 

Tuckahoe 89 

Tucson 109 

Tuechtona 44 

Tueyahdassoo 54 

Tuhahanwah 58 

Tuneungwant 10 

Tunasasah 32 

Tunatentonk 52 

Tundadaqua 57 

Tunessassa 10 

Tunkhannock 106 

Tupelhocken 103 

Tuscaloosa 105 

Tuscarawas 104 

Tuscarora 37-38-78 

Twadaalahala 43 

Twadahahlodahque 50 

Twektonondo 74 

Twenungasko 32 



Tycon^Jeroge 86 

Tyoshoke 70-86 

Tyschsarondia 31 

Umbagog 102 

Unadilla 67 

Unechtgo 9 

Uneendo 55 

Unquety no 

Unsewats 71 

Unundadages 50 

Usteka 54 

Utah 99 

Utowanna 31 

Utsyanthia 18 

Venango 105 

Waccaback 88 

Wachachkeek 3 1-93 

Wachkeerhoha 76 

Wackanekasseck 16 

Waconina 33 

Wahankasick 16 

Wahpole Sinegahu 29 

Wahcoloosendoochalera. . 87 

Waimanuck 89 

Waiontha 33 

Wakonteebe in 

Walhonding 105 

Walloomsac 70 

Wampachookglenosuck . . 86 

Wampanoag 106 

Wampecock 86 

Wampmissic 80 



^tjj\ 



148 



INDEX TO LOCAL NAMES. 
PAGE. 



Wampus 88 

Wanmainuck 90 

Wapanachki 108 

Wappinger iq 

Wapsipinicon 109 

Wascontha 30-44 

Wasgwas 11 

Washburn 17 

Wassaic 19 

Wastohehno 96 

Waukegan iit 

Wauteghe 67 

Wawantapekook . .... 31 

Wawarsing 84 

Wavvayanda. 63 

Waweatunong no 

Wawkwaonk 85 

Wawyachtenock 16 

Webatuck 19 

Weecquaesguck 88 

Weehawken 47 

Weghkerhon 92 

Weghquegtick 90 

Wenawmien 108 

Wennebees 90 

Wepuc 90 

Weteringhraguentere .... 34 

Whippany 105 

Wheeling 106 

Wichquanachtekak 93 

Wichquapakkat 16 

Wickopee 19-68 



Wikisan 90 

Wilhmantic 106 

Willowemock 82 

Wiltmeet 84 

Winnebago 29-101-108 

Winnepeg loi 

Winnepiseogee 100 

Winona 102 

Winooski no 

Wisconsin 97 

Wiscoy 8 

Wshqua 90 

Wissahickon 102 

Wissayek 89 

Wittenagemota 70 

Wopowag 79 

Wuhquaska 16 

Wyalusing 102 

Wyomanock 17 

"Wyoming 91-98 

Yankton 102-1 1 1 

Yantic 104 

Yazoo. 102 

Yemassee 102 

Yennecock 80 

Yodanyuhgwah 24 

Younghaugh 38 

Youghiogheny 104 

Yoxsaw 35 

Yuma 109 

Zinochsaa 58 

Zuni 109 



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